Dear SIG members

Below is an updated version of the proposal that includes the elements of the transfer proposal that reached consensus in the APNIC 28 Policy SIG as well as a couple of administrative updates.

The following changes have been made:

- Section 4.2 in "Details of the proposal" has been replaced with the revised text that reached consensus during the APNIC 28 Policy SIG:

4.2 The size of the IPv6 delegation for members that meet the alternative criteria described in section 4.1 above will be based on the following:

- A member that has an IPv4 allocation would be eligible for an IPv6 /32

- A member that has an IPv4 assignment would be eligible for an IPv6 /48

- The title of the proposal has been changed to reflect the change away from automatic allocation/assignment

- Section 4.3 in "Details of the proposal" removes the reference to reservations.

The proposal's history can be found at:

http://www.apnic.net/policy/proposals/prop-073

The proposal will be presented to the APNIC Member Meeting tomorrow for consensus, and then will be followed by a formal eight-week final call for comments on this mailing list.

Randy, Ching-Heng, and Terence

________________________________________________________________________

prop-073-v004: Simplifying allocation/assignment of IPv6 to APNIC members with existing IPv4 addresses ________________________________________________________________________ Simplifying allocation/assignment of IPv6 to APNIC members with existing IPv4 addresses

Authors: Terry Manderson terry@terrym.net

Andy Linton asjl@lpnz.org

Version: 4

Date: 27 August 2009

1. Introduction ----------------

This is a proposal to simplify the criteria for a member requesting an initial block of IPv6 addresses where the member already has an IPv4 assignment or allocation.

Under this proposal, APNIC would reserve the appropriately sized IPv6 block for each APNIC member that has IPv4 addresses but does not yet have IPv6 addresses.

It is further proposed that members holding IPv4 addresses be able to request the IPv6 space reserved for them through a simple one-step process.

2. Summary of current problem ------------------------------

It is well understood that the final allocations of IPv4 address space are drawing very close.

The community and APNIC Secretariat have done much to promote the adoption of IPv6. However, the authors recognize that the uptake of IPv6 is less than ideal. As a result, the community is looking for ways to promote the adoption of IPv6 so that it can be added to members' network infrastructure.

The authors believe that the current APNIC processes recognize that an entity which has satisfied IPv4 criteria has done enough work to be assessed for IPv6 resources.

This policy proposal aims to further promote IPv6 adoption by simplifying the process of applying to APNIC for IPv6 address space.

3. Situation in other RIRs ---------------------------

RIPE:

2008-02,"Assigning IPv6 PA to Every LIR", a similar, but certainly not the same, proposal, was withdrawn by the author due to lack of support. There had been concern about the impact on member fees and that by issuing IPv6 addresses that hadn't been explicitly requested the proposal could make IPv6 a commodity.

http://www.ripe.net/ripe/policies/proposals/2008-02.html

ARIN:

We understand that there have been discussions on this topic in the ARIN region but we have not identified a formal proposal.

There have been no similar proposals in other regions.

4. Details of the proposal ---------------------------

It is proposed that:

4.1 Alternative criteria be added to the IPv6 allocation and assignment policies to allow APNIC members that have IPv4 but no IPv6 space to qualify for an appropriately size IPv6 block under the matching IPv6 policy.

4.2 The size of the IPv6 delegation for members that meet the alternative criteria described in section 4.1 above will be based on the following:

- A member that has an IPv4 allocation would be eligible for an IPv6 /32

- A member that has an IPv4 assignment would be eligible for an IPv6 /48

4.3 APNIC members can request the IPv6 address block be allocated/assigned to their member account via a simple mechanism in existing APNIC on-line systems.

4.4 The APNIC Secretariat may reserve prefixes for any or all qualifying members to allow for a seamless allocation process. It is a responsibility of the Secretariat to select an appropriate reservation schedule, and as such the reservation of a prefix is not fixed in size, scope, nor time.

To increase visibility of this proposal, the authors recommend that the APNIC Secretariat communicate to members and others that the criteria for receiving an initial IPv6 block has been reduced and that the process of obtaining IPv6 address space has been made simpler. We recommend this to show that there is no effective barrier to members obtaining IPv6 addresses.

Current IPv6 policies are still available for members who apply for IPv6 addresses without existing IPv4 addresses, or who apply for subsequent IPv6 resources.

5. Advantages and disadvantages of the proposal ------------------------------------------------

5.1 Advantages

This proposal:

- Allows APNIC to engage with all IPv4 resource holders alerting them to the need to start work on deploying IPv6 addressing.

- Pre-approves IPv6 resource delegations based on existing IPv4 holdings.

- Increases member benefit by avoiding duplication and effort in applying to APNIC for IPv6 when they have already demonstrated their network needs for an IPv4 delegation.

- Removes another barrier to IPv6 adoption by providing all eligible organisations with an IPv6 assignment or allocation through a simple request.

5.2 Disadvantages

This proposal does not deal with the need to encourage holders of "Historic Internet resources" to apply for IPv6 address space.

6. Effect on APNIC members ---------------------------

6.1 Fees

No member's fees will increase as a result of this proposal because under the APNIC fee schedule, assessed address fees are the greater of the IPv4 and IPv6 fees. This proposal was careful to ensure that IPv6 delegations would not increase a member's annual fees (based on the recently revised APNIC fee structure)

6.2 Responsibility

A member would acquire the responsibility to manage and maintain a IPv6 allocation in the APNIC registry framework.

6.3 Address/Internet number resource consumption

There are about 1300 current APNIC members that do not hold an IPv6 allocation. Allocating a /32 to each of these members would result in a maximum of /22 to /21 of IPv6 address space allocated if all 1300 members requested space.

The actual allocation would be less than this as some members would receive a /48.

7. Effect on NIRs ------------------

The impact on any NIR would depend if the NIR adopts this proposal for their constituency.