ASPLAIN Format for the Registration of 4-byte ASNs
This proposal seeks to modify the current policy document 'Autonomous System (AS) Number Assignment Policies and Procedures' to adopt the use of ASPLAIN for recording and representation of 4-byte AS Numbers.
Summary of Proposal:
This proposal seeks to modify the current policy document 'Autonomous System (AS) Number Assignment Policies and Procedures' to adopt the use of ASPLAIN for recording and representation of 4-byte AS Numbers.
Rationale:
a. Arguments Supporting the Proposal
The operator community almost unanimously supports the use of ASPLAIN as it is most backwards compatible with current operational systems and provides the least resistance to deployment and adoption of 4-byte AS Numbers. Given that the operator community prefers ASPLAIN and the IETF is close to adopting a BCP recommending the use ASPLAIN this proposal seeks to change the format used by RIPE to ASPLAIN.
A list of advantages of ASPLAIN are as follows:
- ASPLAIN has wide support in the operator community
- IETF is progressing as-representation-01.txt as a standard
- ASPLAIN does not break AS-PATH REGEX
- APNIC reached consensus to adopt ASPLAIN for assignment and representation of 4-byte AS Numbers
- Routers vendors appear to be supporting ASPLAIN, which will require no conversion from allocation to configuration.
b. Arguments Opposing the Proposal
- ASDOT is more easily remembered
- All existing 4-byte only assignments have been made in ASDOT