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Changes to IPv4 Address Allocation and Assignment Policies for the RIPE NCC Service Region

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ripe-492: This obsolete document describes the RIPE community’s current IPv4 address allocation and assignment policies. They were developed through a bottom-up, consensus driven, open policy development process in the RIPE Address Policy Working Group (AP WG). The RIPE Network Coordination Centre (RIPE NCC) facilitates and supports this process. These policies apply to the ripe-065: RIPE NCC and the Local Internet Registries (LIRs) within the RIPE NCC service region. Numbers Registration Procedures

insert:  This document is obsoleted by ripe-72, version 0.7 of this documen insert:  t insert: 

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This document describes the procedures for the reassignment of IP insert:  
network numbers from blocks obtained from the RIPE Network Coordination insert:  
Centre. It deals with items as providing information for the RIPE and insert:  
US NIC databases, as well as reassignment of IP addresses in light of insert:  
the "Supernetting" proposal, as documented in RFC 1338, by Vince Fuller insert:  
et al. insert:  
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Introduction insert:  
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Since May 1st 1992, the RIPE Network Coordination Centre (NCC) is insert:  
acting as a delegated registry for IP networks numbers to NICs and NOCs insert:  
in Europe. It is RIPE NCC policy not to give out network numbers to insert:  
individual organisations, who should refer in turn, to their IP network insert:  
service provider. insert:  
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The mission of the RIPE NCC is to give network numbers to the various insert:  
service providers and NICs. The NICs and NOCs can then reassign the insert:  
actual IP network numbers to organisations requesting IP network insert:  
numbers. insert:  
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Class B Network Number Allocation Procedure insert:  
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Service providers can request Class B network numbers on a one-by-one insert:  
basis from the RIPE NCC. Because class B address space is a critical insert:  
resource, a request for a class B network number must be accompanied by insert:  
a justification in terms of the requesting organisation's size, current insert:  
network and expected network growth. The requestor should also make insert:  
clear why they cannot use a block of class C network numbers to achieve insert:  
their goals. The RIPE NCC will review requests using the same standards insert:  
as any other Internet Registry, particularly the US NIC. insert:  
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Class C Allocation Procedures insert:  
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NICs and NOCs accepting a block of class C numbers agree to adhere to insert:  
the following procedures: insert:  
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A) The RIPE NCC will assign complete class C blocks to individual NICs insert:  
and NOCs. They can be requested from <[email protected]>. insert:  
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B) In order to prevent implementation problems, network numbers ending insert:  
with 0 or 255 should NOT be reassigned. insert:  
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C) Full information about reassigned network numbers must be reported insert:  
back to the RIPE NCC and the US NIC in full RIPE database format (ref insert:  
ripe-13). The complete entries should be sent immediately after insert:  
reassignment to <[email protected]> and <[email protected]> insert:  
Unfortunately, the RIPE NCC is not yet ready to accept block entries for insert:  
the RIPE database, so you must send in each individual entry. insert:  
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D) Reassignment of class C network numbers should be done in a manner insert:  
that facilitates Supernetting (see next section). insert:  
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E) Requests for network numbers should be reasonable. All NICs and NOCs insert:  
should prevent stockpiling of network numbers. insert:  
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F) On first request from the RIPE NCC, the class C network numbers not insert:  
yet reassigned, must be returned to the RIPE NCC. insert:  
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Supernetting insert:  
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NICs and NOCs reassigning IP network numbers are urgently requested to insert:  
read the Supernetting proposal by Vince Fuller et al. This document can insert:  
be obtained from the rfc section of the RIPE document store or other RFC insert:  
servers. It is called rfc1338.txt. insert:  
The Supernetting proposal was made to reduce the increase of routing insert:  
table size in the current Internet. It proposes to create a hierarchy insert:  
of IP network numbers, which can then be aggregated resulting in less insert:  
routing table entries in routing equipment. While this proposal has not insert:  
been formally adopted we expect that something at least along the same insert:  
principle will be implemented in the near future. insert:  
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Here is how it works: insert:  
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If an organisation A needs 8 class C network numbers, the numbers should insert:  
be given out in such a way that the routing information for each of insert:  
these 8 networks could appear as one entry with the correct mask in insert:  
routers. insert:  
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More concretely: insert:  
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Service provider S hands out networks 192.24.8 through 192.24.15 to insert:  
organisation A. These networks can then appear in routing equipment as a insert:  
supernet route to 192.24.8 with mask 255.255.248.0. This way 8 class C insert:  
network numbers appear as one routing table entry. insert:  
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The guidelines that can be derived from the Supernetting proposal are: insert:  
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A) Service providers should reserve blocks of class C network numbers from insert:  
their allocation for each organisations requesting class C network numbers. insert:  
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B) The size of these blocks should always be a power of 2. insert:  
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C) The numbers in these blocks should be contiguous. insert:  
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D) The blocks should start on bit boundaries. insert:  
(ie powers of 2, AND multiples of the block size) insert:  
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E) The blocks reserved for an organisation should be sufficient for a insert:  
reasonable expected growth over the next few years. insert:  
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F) Multi-homed organizations may obtain address space from one of their insert:  
providers, the RIPE NCC, or the global NIC, as is appropriate to their insert:  
network configuration. These organisations are strongly encouraged to insert:  
contact the RIPE NCC for guidance. insert:  
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If you have any questions concerning this, please do not hesitate to insert:  
call or mail us at [email protected]. insert: 