[ARIN-Suggestions] New Suggestion - ACSP 2016.4 - Waiting List for 2 Byte ASNs

[ARIN]

We received the following suggestion on 18 March:

Suggestion Details:

Description: Waiting list for 2 Byte ASNs

Value to Community: One member said to me:

Ticket from ARIN "We have noted your request for a 2-byte ASN. ARIN is 
out of 2-byte ASN's in its inventory. We get them returned voluntarily 
from time to time. If we have one at the time of issuance, we will issue 
it to your organization. If we do not have a 2-byte in inventory at that 
time, your organization will receive the standard 4-byte ASN. "

Member comment "if they are really out - a waitinglist would be nice...."

On 30 March, we sent the following response to the submitter:

Thank you for your suggestion numbered 2016.04 - Waiting List for 2 Byte 
ASNs.

Background

The NRPM included instructions in the past for ARIN staff to remove any 
distinction between 2-byte and 4-byte in the issuance of AS numbers. 
This particular policy language has since been retired in the NRPM.

Staff has followed policy regarding issuance of AS numbers, but has 
often had lower numbered, classic 2-byte, AS numbers available over 
time. We would either receive them in our new delegations from the IANA, 
obtain them from customer returns of AS numbers, or through revocations 
of AS numbers due to non-payment of registration fees. Although ARIN 
expects to no longer receive AS numbers from the IANA inside the classic 
2-byte range, we do expect to continue reclaiming them through returns 
and revocations going forward.

Some AS number requests today continue to specifically ask for an AS 
number from the classic 2-byte range. In those situations we relay to 
the customer that we have noted their special request and that we will 
accommodate it at the issuance phase of the ticket process if one is 
available at the time.

The Suggestion

We understand your suggestion is to establish a waiting list for AS 
numbers from the classic 2-byte range for those customers who 
specifically request one when ARIN does not have them available. This 
waiting list would be similar to the IPv4 waiting list for unmet 
requests, but managed separately for AS numbers. Organizations would be 
placed on this AS number waiting list, and when one became available 
through reclamation at ARIN, it would be slated for the organization 
first on the waiting list.

Staff Action

ARIN staff can create a waiting list for 2-byte AS numbers if there is 
favor from the community to establish one. ARIN staff will open a 
consultation on the topic to gather feedback and take appropriate action 
based on information received through that process.

Thank you for participating in the ARIN Consultation and Suggestion 
Process. We will leave this suggestion open until a consultation has 
been completed on this topic and an implementation plan has been 
established.

Regards,

Communications and Member Services
American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN)