[ppml] PPML Digest, Vol 22, Issue 9

[Jay Sudowski - Handy Networks LLC]

>> Give it away (pay exactly what your last years payment was) to  
>> anyone that
>> has an IPV4 as of July 4th, 2007.  All allocations after that date  
>> are only
>> issued as dual assignments (one request gets some IPV4 and IPV6)

>Why is it useful to give people IPv6 address space if they don't even  
>ask for it?

Giving IPv6 allocations to everyone (and setting a far off date before
IPv6 allocations will cost money) is important because:

1. Cost. At present, I will have not requested an IPv6 allocation
because it's only a given that the allocation will remain cost free
until Dec 31 2007.  Come Dec 31 2008, I *could* end up with a $2250
invoice on my desk for an IPv6 allocation that is only useful for
experimentation.  If it's 100% certain that my IPv6 allocation will be
free for the next 3-5 years, I would have already applied for IPv6
space. 

2. Organizations find ARIN difficult to deal with.  In fact, I know of
many people who absolutely *hate* dealing with ARIN.  They go out of
their way to avoid ARIN at all costs and only contact them when it's
absolutely necessary.  If ARIN automatically allocates IPv6 space to
every IPv4 holder, people will not have to go through the perceived
trauma of initiating contact with ARIN.  Sad, but true. 

3. Distributing IPv6 space in a proactive manner would be a favorable
action to take from a political perspective.  Most politicians are
ignorant about technology, but I can guarantee that if there is a major
impact to consumer/business services due to depletion of IPv4 and it
appears that the community did not do everything possible to affect a
smooth transition to IPv6, fingers will be pointed and regulations will
be enacted.  ARIN should seek to insulate itself from any potential
political fallout by being as proactive as possible with issuing IPv6
allocations.

-Jay