[ppml] Restrictions on transferor deaggregation in 2008-2: IPv4 Transfer Policy Proposal

[Owen DeLong]

> So, a few questions to discuss:
>
> Do you think that the IPv4 Transfer Policy should restrict  
> deaggregation
> of transferred netblocks?  Why or why not?
>
Yes.

While in the longer term, loosening or removing such restrictions may
prove to be a desirable thing to do, I believe we should see how things
work with the restrictions initially and gain some experience with the
policy before completely turning things loose.  We can always  
deaggregate
later, whereas re-aggregation is virtually impossible.

> If so, what restrictions should be placed on deaggregation, and what
> types of deaggregation should be allowed to provide supply of smaller
> netblocks?
>
Personally, I think the original restrictions were a good starting  
point.
I think that the compromise offered in the current 8.3.6 is an  
acceptable
compromise, but, I do not feel we should go any further at this time.

> Should any restrictions on deaggregation be written into the policy,  
> or
> should ARIN staff be given discretion to adjust the restrictions as
> needed to best serve the interests of the community (section 8.3.6)?
>
I prefer policy-based restrictions with the knowledge that policy can
be adjusted later if necessary.  However, I do think that the more
dynamic ability of ARIN staff to respond to need and permit any
needed deaggregation in the best interests of the community is
a reasonable compromise which would pose acceptable risk.

All of this is, of course, assuming that a transfer policy is a good
idea at all.  Frankly, the more we look at the various problems
and attempts to tweak this policy to balance the various risks,
the more convinced I become that it's just a bad idea and we
should let IPv4 run its course and move on to IPv6 without creating
policies to allow previously unanticipated address transfers.
Indeed, people holding excess address space are always
welcome to return said address space to ARIN under current
policy, and, by many interpretations are actually required to
do so.

Owen