Global Policy Proposal for Remaining IPv4 Address Space – [...]

Introduction

The development of Global Internet Number Resource Policies is the subjectof an MoU between ASO/NROand ICANN. There are also specific ICANNBoard Procedures for handling global policy proposals in this context.

The Board procedures also state that the Board can request ICANN staff toundertake an "early awareness" tracking of proposals for global policies underdevelopment in the addressing community. At its meeting on 20 November 2007,the Board resolved to request such tracking of the development of a globalpolicy proposal for allocation of remaining IPv4 address space, currently beingdiscussed in the Regional Internet Registries, or RIRs. The status overviewpresented below is compiled in response to this request and will be timelyupdated as developments proceed, for information to ICANN entities and thewider community.

Status Overview

The table below indicates the current status within each RIR for the foreseenGlobal Policy for remaining IPv4 address space. Hyperlinks are included foreasy access.

There are two concurrent versions of the Global Policy Proposal for Allocationof the Remaining IPv4 Address Space in the Regional Internet Registry System:

• A version (1) "Global Policy for the Allocation of the Remaining IPv4Address Space", first presented at LACNIC X in May 2007
• A version (2) "End Policy for IANA IPv4 allocations to RIRs", first presentedat APNIC 24 in September 2007

Both versions feature the same approach and propose to distribute an equalnumber N of /8 IPv4 address blocks to each RIR when the IANA pool is approachingexhaustion, but differ in the proposed value of N, notably 2 or 1, respectively(although originally with N proposed as 5 in the first version). Due to theirsimilarity, both versions are being discussed in parallel in the RIRs and areregarded essentially as one proposal, with a view to converging on a valuefor N.

The proposal will subsequently be handled by the NRO EC and the ASO AC accordingto their procedures before being submitted to the ICANN Board.

It should be noted that other proposals have been put forward and are beingdiscussed regarding IPv4 address space exhaustion, although only the two mentionedabove have been scoped as global policy proposals in the sense of the ASO MoU,i.e. focusing on address allocation from IANA to the RIRs.