ARIN Overview

[Gene Jakominich]

This looks great.  How about including a definition of "IP Address" in the
following paragraph:

> 
> Domain Names and IP Numbers
> 
> To say that IP addresses are important to running the Internet is to say
> that food is important for sustaining life. Simply put, without IP numbers
> the Internet could not function. In the form of binary code, they provide
> the means by which all hosts or computers connected to the network are
> uniquely identified.


-gene


------------------------
Gene Jakominich
Systems Engineer, ISP Operations
Broadview Networks
http://www.broadviewnet.net
Voice: 215.293.8739
------------------------



Barry Skeenes writes:

> 
> An email was sent out to this list on May 18 with a request to review the
> document below. No comments have been offered to date. To keep this action
> item moving forward, we would like to incorporate this information on our
> website by the end of July, so please review and provide all comments by
> July 21 so that we can publish this document as requested at our last Public
> Policy Meeting.
> 
> Regards,
> Barry Skeenes
> ARIN Technical Writer
> 
> 
> AN OVERVIEW OF ARIN'S ROLE IN THE INTERNET INDUSTRY TODAY
> 
> INTRODUCTION
> 
> This document introduces who ARIN is, what ARIN
> does, and how the organization fits into the overall Internet industry. It
> is important for the community and the general populace to understand and
> recognize the role that ARIN, together with the other RIRs, plays in
> maintaining stability of the network on a global scale. The management,
> administrative, and technical oversight that the system of registries
> provides forms the infrastructure needed to help keep the Internet
> operational. The following paragraphs explain this in more detail.
> 
> Domain Names and IP Numbers
> 
> To say that IP addresses are important to running the Internet is to say
> that food is important for sustaining life. Simply put, without IP numbers
> the Internet could not function. In the form of binary code, they provide
> the means by which all hosts or computers connected to the network are
> uniquely identified.
> 
> IP addresses are the numbers upon which domain names are applied. Domain
> names must be translated into IP numbers in order for them to be recognized
> by the computers, servers, networks, root zones, and routers that make up
> the Internet. This is accomplished through the Domain Name System (DNS), a
> distributed database of information used to translate domain names into IP
> numbers.
> 
> ARIN'S HISTORY
> 
> In the 1980s, the National Science Foundation's (NSF's) high-speed network,
> the NSFNET, was connected to the U.S. Department of Defense Advanced
> Research Projects Agency's (ARPA's) ARPANET, a wide area network, which
> essentially formed the infrastructure that we now know as the Internet.
> 
> The NSF originated a project named InterNIC under a cooperative agreement
> with Network Solutions, Inc. (NSI) to provide registration and allocation of
> domain names and IP address numbers. Over time, a consensus was reached in
> the general Internet community to separate the management of domain names
> from the management of IP numbers, in part to maintain stability of the IP
> numbering system. As a result, ARIN was established to provide IP
> registration services as an independent, non-profit corporation, and opened
> its doors for business on December 22, 1997.
> 
> ARIN'S MISSION
> 
> ARIN was established for the purpose of providing administration and
> registration of IP numbers as a public service to the Internet community.
> ARIN is charged with maintaining a public trust, and, as such, allocates IP
> addresses in an impartial manner. Its efforts ensure that IP addresses are
> allocated providently as it continues to provide administration and
> registration services to entities in its assigned region.
> 
> ARIN allocates globally unique IP addresses to ISPs for the purpose of
> reassigning that space to their customers, and to end users exclusively for
> use in their operational networks. As it distributes these IP numbers, ARIN
> promotes the efficient utilization of IP address space to help ensure that
> this valuable public resource will be available for future users.
> 
> The ability for IP addresses to be routed across the network is, of course,
> of primary importance. Historically, the number of systems connecting to the
> Internet was so rapid that the ability to route data between them was in
> jeopardy. In fact, segments of the Internet could become inaccessible if not
> adequately addressed. To keep this from happening, ARIN and the other RIRs
> allocate IP addresses in a way that helps to control the amount of routing
> information distributed.
> 
> ARIN TODAY
> 
> ARIN is structured to respond to the requirements of the industry and its
> wide array of users.
> This structure grew out of a consensus that the administration of IP space
> should be managed by those who use it and depend upon it: the users at all
> levels, including ISPs, corporate entities, universities, and individuals.
> ARIN's membership is made up of representatives from these groups, which
> provides for a bottom-up, community-based structure that allows the
> organization to stay in step with the needs of the industry in an open
> forum.
> 
> Members Meetings
> 
> ARIN Members meet twice annually at various locations to accommodate members
> from all corners of ARIN's region. At these meetings, the members elect
> Board of Trustees and Advisory Council members, discuss ARIN operational and
> fiduciary matters, develop IP policies, and review Member services issues.
> 
> Public Policy Meetings
> 
> By design, ARIN is structured to provide a service to the community in an
> open and fair manner, and it does so through an open membership policy as
> well as hosting public policy meetings. The public meetings are open to all
> parties and individuals interested in becoming involved in discussions of
> IP-related issues, development of regional policies, and overall advancement
> of the Internet. They allow ARIN to gain a broad perspective on the issues
> that impact the industry the most.
> 
> Working Groups
> 
> ARIN promotes the formation of working groups as an extension of its public
> policy meetings to address important issues that require a focused group of
> individuals to discuss and recommend solutions to specific IP problems and
> issues.
> 
> Funding Structure and Fees
> 
> The users in ARIN's region are responsible for determining the financial
> structure of their registry. ARIN's funding model was established solely to
> recover the costs incurred in the management and administration of IP
> address space. The fees that ARIN charges provide the resources, including
> staff, equipment, and facilities, necessary to keep pace with the demands of
> the Internet community and are applied equitably to balance the distribution
> of the operating costs among those obtaining services from ARIN. Also, ARIN'
> s funding structure is similar to that of the RIPE and APNIC models and is
> based on costs experienced in prior years.
> 
> SERVICES ARIN PROVIDES
> 
> ARIN provides services necessary to ensure continued stability of the
> Internet, including the allocation of IP numbers, management of autonomous
> system numbers (ASNs), maintenance of inverse address mapping
> (in.addr.arpa), maintaining a routing registry, and help desk support, as
> well as providing database maintenance and verification of registrants'
> reassignment information.
> 
> IP Allocations
> 
> In allocating IP addresses, ARIN takes guidance from allocation policies and
> procedures developed by the Regional Internet Registries' (RIRs') members
> collectively, and those published by professional organizations in the
> industry.
> 
> IP addresses are issued using either of two formats: IP version 4 (IPv4) or
> IPv6. Whereas IPv6 is a new method of allocation in its startup phase, IPv4
> has been in use for several years. The IETF is instrumental in developing
> these technical standards and has an Internet Protocol Next Generation
> (IPNG) Working Group to develop new technology to meet future demands.
> 
> Most organizations receive IP addresses from their upstream provider, i.e.,
> those ISPs from which they obtain their Internet service. If a customer
> changes service providers or terminates a contract with its upstream ISP,
> the customer is asked to return its network addresses and must then use its
> new address space to renumber its network.
> 
> Downstream organizations understandably prefer to permanently retain the IP
> addresses assigned to them by their upstream provider even when they choose
> to contract with another ISP. If they could take the numbers with them, they
> wouldn't have to renumber into new addresses. However, blocks of IP
> addresses allocated to any first tier or upstream ISP must remain contiguous
> so that addresses can be aggregated. If these blocks were to become
> fragmented, routing table overload could become a serious concern. ARIN and
> the other RIRs ensure that potential problems such as this are monitored and
> effectively addressed.
> 
> Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs)
> 
> ASNs are globally unique numbers used to identify autonomous systems, which
> are connected groups of IP networks that have a single and clearly defined
> routing policy and are used for networks to exchange exterior routing
> information. ARIN is responsible for assigning these numbers.
> 
> Inverse Address Mapping (in-addr.arpa)
> 
> Inverse address mapping is a service that provides a means for tracing data
> transmissions over the Internet and is designed to facilitate queries to
> locate gateways on a particular network. Through the use of the in-addr.arpa
> domain, servers that originate transmissions can be identified.
> 
> Routing Registry
> 
> ARIN maintains a routing registry which provides reliable routing
> information to organizations sending data across the Internet. It serves as
> a registration service whereby network operators can submit, maintain, and
> retrieve router configuration information. The registry serves as a
> repository for routing policy system information and improves customers'
> ability to configure and manage their networks.
> 
> Help Desk Support
> 
> The Registration Services Group within ARIN maintains a staff of experienced
> IP analysts whose responsibility is to review IP requests and to answer
> questions that the requesting organizations may have.
> 
> ICANN
> 
> Under U.S. Government contract, IANA had been responsible for the overall
> management of IP address space and domain names, and distributed IP address
> space to the RIRs for allocation to ISPs and other user organizations. The
> work that IANA performed has been transitioned to the newly established
> non-profit organization, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and
> Numbers (ICANN).
> 
> The ICANN also serves as a forum for the greater user community to provide
> input into issues involving the Internet. Within its structure, three
> Supporting Organizations have been organized to form policies in their areas
> of expertise and to make recommendations to ICANN's Board. The Address
> Supporting Organization (ASO) is the body designated for making
> recommendations to ICANN regarding global IP address policies. While the
> RIRs make up the membership of the ASO, an Ad Hoc Group and an At-Large
> Membership provide for input from a broad spectrum of interests.
> 
> REGIONAL INTERNET REGISTRIES (RIRs)
> 
> The RIRs are responsible for allocating IP addresses to organizations within
> their assigned regions. They work together, coordinating activities to
> provide a seamless global network for the many varied constituencies, with
> their esoteric technologies, that connect to the Internet. The RIRs' role
> has been, and continues to be, instrumental in maintaining stability of the
> IP numbering system.
> 
> Any organization responsible for managing a public resource must remain
> neutral. As such, RIRs do not show favoritism in an industry where
> commercial entities are highly competitive. This helps to create a level
> playing field by which all qualified organizations that provide Internet
> services have an equal opportunity to receive IP allocations within a stable
> fee structure. For these reasons, RIRs provide IP registration services over
> large geographical regions such as continents.
> 
> ARIN's contribution is integral to the system of RIRs already in place. As
> changes to the registry system come about to keep pace with continuing
> changes, it is important that ARIN and the other RIRs remain at the center
> of the system. Through their respective members and their incumbency, they
> have the technical knowledge and experience in the real world to support a
> robust world-wide network. The RIRs consider the needs of new technology
> sectors and business interests in the context of the greater user base in
> order to provide services that are equitable for all.
> 
> ROLE OF THE CONSUMER
> 
> The overriding premise: IP addresses are a limited public resource that must
> be shared by everyone from all walks of life in all corners of the world,
> and by every organization large or small.
> 
> The Internet may be perceived by some to be a resource that is virtually
> limitless and inexhaustible. Indeed, it provides access to more data than
> anyone ever dreamed possible. However, the Internet is constrained by the
> parameters of the systems on which it runs. In the world of Transmission
> Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), the protocol in use today, this
> means that the pool of IP address space is finite -- a resource not without
> boundaries.
> 
> As a public resource, IP addresses cannot be "sold" for monetary gain.
> Organizations cannot "buy" IP addresses, but rather are given custodianship
> of address blocks and are not considered to own that space. Address blocks,
> as well as influence in the Internet community, are too often viewed as
> powerful commodities to be attained. The notion of "control" over this
> resource is recognized as a hindrance to the future of global Internet
> communications.
> 
> As users began connecting to the network in increasingly greater numbers,
> concerns arose as to whether there would be enough address space to
> accommodate future users. As a result, development efforts for new
> approaches were launched.
> 
> Thus, the use and distribution of IP numbers must be a cooperative effort
> among all those involved. It is important that consumers distribute IP
> address space with forethought and under strict guidelines to ensure that
> the limited amount of space is used prudently and efficiently, without
> unnecessary waste. All ISPs from the first tier on down should require their
> downstream customers to follow their lead in conserving address space. End
> users are also charged with efficient use of their assignments. Only in this
> way can the Internet continue to accommodate the addition of new users
> connecting to it from all over the globe at an accelerated rate.
> 
> GLOSSARY
> 
> AfriNIC - African Network Information Centre. A new RIR, with responsibility
> for the African region, expected to be formed in 2000.
> 
> APNIC - Asia Pacific Network Information Centre. The RIR serving the Asia
> Pacific region.
> 
> APRICOT - Asia Pacific Regional Internet Conference on Operational
> Technologies.
> 
> ARIN - American Registry for Internet Numbers. The RIR serving North and
> South America, the Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa.
> 
> ARPA - Advanced Research Projects Agency. The U.S. Government agency that
> became DARPA in the mid-1970s.
> 
> ARPANET - An early experimental wide area network that connected computers
> to government agencies, universities, and research facilities.
> 
> ASN - Autonomous System Number. Globally unique numbers that are used to
> identify autonomous systems and for exchanging exterior routing information.
> 
> ASO - Address Supporting Organization. The body designated for making
> recommendations to ICANN regarding IP addresses.
> 
> DNS - Domain Name System. A distributed database of information used to
> translate domain names into IP numbers.
> 
> Domain Names - Common, easy-to-remember identifiers used today for
> identifying host addresses.
> 
> Downstream Provider - A second-tier ISP.
> 
> End User - An organization receiving reassignments of IP addresses
> exclusively for use in operational networks, not for reassignment to other
> organizations.
> 
> FNC - Federal Networking Council. Chartered to act as a forum for networking
> collaborations among Federal agencies.
> 
> Global Routing Table - A table of data stored in a router that contains
> information on routes to network destinations.
> 
> IANA - Internet Assigned Numbers Authority. The organization formally
> responsible for the management of IP address space allocation and functions
> involving domain names.
> 
> ICANN - Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. The
> not-for-profit organization responsible for distributing IP address space to
> the RIRs for allocation to user organizations.
> 
> IETF - Internet Engineering Task Force. Community of network designers,
> operators,
> vendors, and researchers involved in the Internet.
> 
> in.addr.arpa - Inverse address mapping used for tracing source servers.
> 
> INET - An Internet-related conference held annually by the Internet Society
> (ISOC).
> 
> IP - Internet Protocol. A network layer protocol that contains addressing
> information and some control information that allows packets to be routed.
> 
> IPng - Internet Protocol Next Generation. An ongoing effort to develop new
> Internet numbering methodologies.
> 
> IPv4 - IP version 4. A method of identifying IP numbers as 32-bit addresses
> that consist of four octets, each octet expressed as a number between 0 and
> 255, separated by periods, for example: 198.41.0.52.
> 
> IPv6 - IP version 6. A method of identifying IP numbers as 128-bit addresses
> in eight 16-bit pieces using hexadecimal values, for example:
> A974:B22F:989E:6732:4444:CC15:D042:7BE1.
> 
> ISI - Information Sciences Institute. An advanced computer and
> communications research and development facility at the University of
> Southern California.
> 
> ISP - Internet Service Provider. A person, organization, or company that
> provides access to the Internet as well as web hosting, domain name service,
> and other proprietary services.
> 
> LACNIC - Latin America. A new RIR, responsible for the Latin America region,
> expected to begin operation in 2000.
> 
> NANOG - North American Network Operators Group. A group composed of network
> service providers that provides a forum for the exchange of technical
> information.
> 
> NIC - Network Information Center. An organization central to supporting
> Internet operations, providing such services as registration and allocation
> of domain names and IP address numbers, ensuring global uniqueness of
> numbers, and providing a DNS data base server.
> 
> NSF - National Science Foundation
> 
> NSFNET - An earlier high-speed network that connected academic and research
> institutions throughout the U.S.
> 
> RFC - Request for Comment. A document series of the IETF that focuses on
> computing concepts, computer communications, networking, and Internet
> protocols.
> 
> RIPE NCC - Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre. The RIR that
> serves Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Africa.
> 
> RIR - Regional Internet Registry. Registries responsible for management of
> IP addresses.
> 
> Root Zones - A select number of servers worldwide that keep global routing
> tables updated.
> 
> Route Aggregation - The grouping of IP addresses in a hierarchical manner to
> reduce the amount of routing information at the top level.
> 
> Routing Registry - A registration service for network operators to submit,
> maintain, and retrieve router configuration information.
> 
> TCP/IP - Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. The protocol used
> on the Internet today.
> 
> Upstream Provider - An ISP with whom an end user or another ISP contracts
> for obtaining Internet services.
> 
>