[ppml] Proposed Policy: 4-Byte AS Number Policy Proposal

[william(at)elan.net]

On Wed, 14 Dec 2005, Geoff Huston wrote:

> I have to disagree with this assertion. As noted in the 4byte AS draft, and
> as noted in http://www.potaroo.net/ispcol/2005-08/as.html, the transition
> is entirely different to that associated with IPv6. In this case existing
> players in the inter-domain routing space have no requirement to do
> anything now, or in the future. Let me say it again: Folk who have 2 byte
> AS numbers need do _nothing_ , i.e. the transition allows for "the
> continued use of AS2  space" indefinitely. Please read these references, as
> they are intended to describe the transition situation in as comprehensive
> manner as possible.

That is not quite as easy as you describe. To be able to use 32bit ASNs,
all routers will need to be upgraded (at least all those who want to 
directly communicate/peer with somebody with 32bit ASN). Note that users
of ASNs are not the same as users of IPv4 space - for ipv4 the end-sites
are kinds of computer devices and everyone on the internet a user of ipv4 
space, where as for ASN end-sites are routers and users are the ISPs.
Since we say that all such devices will need to upgrade software, that
means that all users of ASNs do indeed need to upgrade. The difference
as far as ipv4 vs ipv6 is that there is no need to actually request new
number (as with ipv6) and upgrade is just software or hardware upgrade.

-- 
William Leibzon
Elan Networks
william at elan.net