ARIN Board Advises Internet Community on Migration to IPv6

[Member Services]

ARIN and the other Regional Internet Registries have distributed 
Internet Protocol version 6, IPv6, alongside IPv4 since 1999.  To date, 
ARIN has issued both protocol versions in tandem and has not advocated 
one over the other. ARIN has closely monitored trends in demand and 
distribution for both protocol versions with the understanding that the
IPv4 available resource pool would continue to diminish.

The available IPv4 resource pool has now been reduced to the point that 
ARIN is compelled to advise the Internet community that migration to 
IPv6 is necessary for any applications that require ongoing availability 
from ARIN of contiguous IP number resources.

On 7 May 2007, the ARIN Board of Trustees passed the following resolution:

RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF ARIN ON INTERNET PROTOCOL 
NUMBERING RESOURCE AVAILABILITY

WHEREAS, community access to Internet Protocol (IP) numbering Resources 
has proved essential to the successful growth of the Internet; and,

WHEREAS, ongoing community access to Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) 
numbering resources can not be assured indefinitely; and,

WHEREAS, Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) numbering resources are 
available and suitable for many Internet applications,

BE IT RESOLVED, that this Board of Trustees hereby advises the Internet 
community that migration to IPv6 numbering resources is necessary for 
any applications which require ongoing availability from ARIN of 
contiguous IP numbering resources; and,

BE IT ORDERED, that this Board of Trustees hereby directs ARIN staff to 
take any and all measures necessary to assure veracity of applications 
to ARIN for IPv4 numbering resources; and,

BE IT RESOLVED, that this Board of Trustees hereby requests the ARIN 
Advisory Council to consider Internet Numbering Resource Policy changes 
advisable to encourage migration to IPv6 numbering resources where possible.

Implementation of this resolution will include both internal and 
external components. Internally, ARIN will review its resource request 
procedures and continue to provide policy experience reports to the 
Advisory Council. Externally, ARIN will send progress announcements to 
the ARIN community as well as the wider technical audience, government 
agencies, and media outlets. ARIN will produce new documentation, from 
basic introductory fact sheets to FAQs on how this resolution will 
affect users in the region. ARIN will focus on IPv6 in many of its 
general outreach activities, such as speaking engagements, trade shows, 
and technical community meetings.

For more information visit the IPv6 Information Center at: 
http://www.arin.net/v6/v6-info.html.

Regards,

Raymond A. Plzak
President and CEO
American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN)