[ppml] [address-policy-wg] Those pesky ULAs again

[Leo Bicknell]

In a message written on Mon, May 28, 2007 at 10:26:19PM -1000, Randy Bush wrote:
> which is a benefit because ...?  rfc 1918 space is a hack to deal with
> an address space shortage.  we are told ipv6 space is effectively
> infinite.  hence we do not need rfc 1918 style space.

I think there are two gigantic fundamental flaws in this short
statement.

- Whatever the original goals of RFC 1918 space it has found uses
  and benefits far beyond simple conservation of address space.
  Until IPv6 provides the same benefits it will be a step backwards.
  Some of this is education, some is poor design.  If it were just
  a shortage problem this discussion would have ended 5 years ago.

- IPv6 space is not infinite.  It's a 64-72 bit address space.  That's
  right, subnets with > 256 hosts are very uncommon today, so we've wasted
  64 bits to number 256 things.  That makes the space effectively on the
  long end 72 bits.

  But more importantly, we have the T-Shirt from this exercise.
  Back in the 80's we gave out Class A's.  It was the right thing
  to do.  Rigid boundaries helped everyone.  There were only 2000
  networked computers in the world.  Windows didn't exist.  The
  address space was infinite in a world of 8 bit computers.

  I predict with the current allocation procedures IPv6 will be
  "used up" in my lifetime.  I also predict the groups today getting
  /32's (and larger) will look like the legacy class A holders in
  20 years time.  When your doorknob automatically requests a ULA-C
  /64 when you bring it home, and your house has 2,000 of them as every
  individual system talks to each other we'll be looking at this quite
  differently.

I guess I'm just constantly amazed at how our "visionaries" think small,
often influenced by what they are working on right now....

 ] "I went to my first computer conference at the New York Hilton about 20
 ] years ago. When somebody there predicted the market for microprocessors
 ] would eventually be in the millions, someone else said, 'Where are they
 ] all going to go? It's not like you need a computer in every doorknob!'"
 ] 
 ] "Years later, I went back to the same hotel. I noticed the room keys had
 ] been replaced by electronic cards you slide into slots in the doors."
 ] 
 ] "There was a computer in every doorknob."
 ] Danny Hillis

 ] "I think there is a world market for about five computers."
 ] Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM 1943

 ] "we are told ipv6 space is effectively infinite.  hence we 
 ] do not need rfc 1918 style space."
 ] Randy Bush, 2007

-- 
       Leo Bicknell - bicknell at ufp.org - CCIE 3440
        PGP keys at http://www.ufp.org/~bicknell/
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