[arin-ppml] Advisory Council Meeting Results - July 2009

[Scott Leibrand]

Martin Hannigan wrote:
>> The AC abandoned the following policy proposal:
>>
>>  Policy Proposal 87: Extend 16 bit ASN Assignments
>>
>> The AC stated, "Proposal #87: Extend 16 bit ASN Assignments has been
>> abandoned by the AC because the ARIN staff has now made an
>> implementation plan to combine both sets of numbers into one pool, and
>> issue in numerical order starting with the lowest numbers first
>> (starting in January 2010). With this plan in place the intention of
>> this proposal is addressed and the need for this proposal no longer
>> exists."
>>     
>
>
> Can someone explain how this will work please?
>   

I can try, and I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong...

Up until January 1 2010, ARIN distinguishes between 2-byte and 4-byte 
ASNs, and lets you have a 2-byte if you need it, but gives out 4-bytes 
otherwise, to spur adoption.

After January 1 2010, ARIN ceases to make any distinction between 2-byte 
and 4-byte ASNs.  Instead, they simply give out ASNs as they always 
have, working up from the bottom.  At first, the ASNs given out will be 
<64k.  Eventually, when that block of ASNs is used up, they'll move on 
to higher numbers >64k.  Presumably by then everyone with a growing 
network will have rolled out code to support 4-byte ASNs.

-Scott