Draft Policy 2009-6: IANA Policy for Allocation of ASN Blocks to RIRs - Last Call

[Member Services]

The ARIN Advisory Council (AC) met on 23 October 2009 and decided to
send the following draft policy to last call:

    Draft Policy 2009-6: Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA)
Policy for Allocation of ASN Blocks (ASNs) to Regional Internet Registries

The AC met in accordance with the ARIN Policy Development Process which
requires the AC to meet within 30 days of the conclusion of the Public
Policy Meeting to make decisions about the draft policies that had been
presented.

Feedback is encouraged during this last call period. All comments should
be provided to the Public Policy Mailing List. This last call will
expire on 13 November 2009. After last call the AC will conduct their
last call review.

The draft policy text is below and available at:
https://www.arin.net/policy/proposals/

The ARIN Policy Development Process is available at:
https://www.arin.net/policy/pdp.html

Regards,

Member Services
American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN)


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Draft Policy 2009-6
Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) Policy for Allocation of ASN
Blocks (ASNs) to Regional Internet Registries

Version/Date: 31 August 2009
Policy statement:

Modification of NRPM section 10.3 extending the deadline for an
undifferentiated ASN pool by 1 year to read:

1. Allocation Principles
IANA allocates ASNs to RIRs in blocks of 1024 ASNs. In this document the
term "ASN block" refers to a set of 1024 ASNs. Until 31 December 2010,
allocations of 16-bit and 32-bit only ASN blocks will be made separately
and independent of each other [1].

This means until 31 December 2010, RIRs can receive two separate ASN
blocks, one for 16-bit ASNs and one for 32-bit only ASNs from the IANA
under this policy. After this date, IANA and the RIRs will cease to make
any distinction between 16-bit and 32-bit only ASNs, and will operate
ASN allocations from an undifferentiated 32-bit ASN allocation pool.

Rationale:

a. Arguments supporting the proposal
Due to operational issues external to the IANA/RIR policy process,
32-bit only ASNs are not
being issued by the RIRs at the anticipated rate. As it stands, RIRs
will likely not be able to
justify a new block of ASNs from the IANA after 31 December 2009 due to
a glut of free 32 bit
only ASNs in the RIR's pool. This leaves available, essential 16-bit
ASNs stranded in the IANA
free pool. This proposal seeks to remedy the potential problem by
extending the deadline for
differentiation by one year.

With this proposal the policy will be aligned with the actual reality in
regards to 32-bit ASN
deployment and usage.

The subject was raised during RIPE 58 and a presentation was made:
http://www.ripe.net/ripe/meetings/ripe-58/content/presentations/asn32-take-up-report.pdf 



The feedback in this session suggested that a global policy proposal
should be developed and
should be discussed.

b. Arguments opposing the proposal
Some may think that extending the previously set timeline can be
perceived as some
discouragement for the deployment of 32-bit ASNs. One counter argument
to this is that RIRs
and Internet community have some other mechanisms and activities to
raise awareness for 32-bit
ASN pool (via public presentations and trainings). These activities will
continue while 16-bit
ASN blocks are still allocated to RIRs by the IANA as they are available
and they are needed.

Timetable for implementation: Immediately upon ratification by ICANN Board