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Re: [sig-policy] prop-068-v001: Inter-RIR transfer policy



Some questions regarding this proposal.

1. What is the involvement of the "another RIR" in this process with regard to IP address space issued by this RIR.
        a. Must or should this "another RIR" region have a policy in place to allow such transfers?

        b. As this policy indicates a gain in fees for APNIC, there would a corresponding loss of fees for the "another RIR". Should this policy acknowledge that this RIR can or should assess a transfer fee as this policy allows APNIC to do for address space leaving its region.

2. How does this policy apply to legacy address space.

        a. What about legacy address space where there is no relationship between the address space holder and the "another RIR"?

        b. What about legacy address space where there is a relationship between the address space holder and the "another RIR"?

        c. The same two questions (2a and 2b) but as applied to APNIC.

Ray

-----Original Message-----
From: sig-policy-bounces@lists.apnic.net [mailto:sig-policy-bounces@lists.apnic.net] On Behalf Of Randy Bush
Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 10:34 PM
To: Policy SIG
Subject: [sig-policy] prop-068-v001: Inter-RIR transfer policy

Dear SIG members

The policy proposal 'Inter-RIR transfer policy' has been sent to
the Policy SIG for review. It will be presented at the Policy SIG
at APNIC 27 in Manila, Philippines, 23-27 February 2009. The
proposal's history can be found at:

       http://www.apnic.net/policy/proposals/prop-068-v001.html

We invite you to review and comment on the proposal on the mailing
list before the meeting.

The comment period on the mailing list before an APNIC meeting is
an important part of the policy development process. We encourage
you to express your views on the proposal:

      - Do you support or oppose this proposal?
      - Does this proposal solve a problem you are experiencing? If
        so, tell the community about your situation.
      - Do you see any disadvantages in this proposal?
      - Is there anything in the proposal that is not clear?
      - What changes could be made to this proposal to make it more
        effective?

randy and jian

_______________________________________________________________________

prop-068-v001: Inter-RIR transfer policy
________________________________________________________________________

Author:    Geoff Huston
             gih@apnic.net

Version:   1

Date:      16 January 2009

1.  Introduction
----------------

This is a proposal to allow the recognition and recording of
address transfers between APNIC and other RIRs and between APNIC
and NIRs.

2.  Summary of current problem
------------------------------

prop-050, "IPv4 address transfers", proposes that APNIC recognise
the transfer of IPv4 address resources between APNIC
members. However, it does not address the following situations:

      - A transfer between an APNIC member and a member of another
        RIR
      - A transfer between an APNIC member and a member of an
        APNIC-recognised NIR

3.   Situation in other RIRs
----------------------------

No similar policy proposals have been adoped in other RIRs.

4.   Details of the proposal
----------------------------

APNIC will recognise and register a transfer of IPv4 addresses in
the following cases:

4.1 Transfer from APNIC member to another RIR or NIR member

      The following constraints apply to the disposer of the IPv4
      address disposer (the "source entity"):

          - The source entity must be a current APNIC account
            holder.

          - The source entity must be the currently registered
            holder of the IPv4 address resources, and not be
            involved in any dispute as to the status of those
            resources.

          - The source entity will be ineligible to receive any
            further IPv4 address allocations or assignments from
            APNIC for a period of 24 months after the transfer.

          - In making any future IPv4 address resource requests to
            APNIC, for as long as IPv4 address resources are
            available from APNIC, following the expiration of this
            24 month ineligibility period, the source will be
            required to document the reasons for the IPv4 address
            resource allocation.

      The following constraints apply to IPv4 address block being
      transferred:

          - Only IPv4 address blocks equal to, or larger than, a /24
            prefix may be transferred.

          - The address block must be in the range of addresses
            administered by APNIC, either as part of a /8 address
            block assigned by the IANA to APNIC, or as part of a
            historically-assigned address block now administered by
            APNIC.

          - The address block must be allocated or assigned to a
            current APNIC account holder.

      APNIC will require the details of the receiving entity of the
      transfer, and will confirm that the receiving entity and the
      IPv4 address block meets the eligibility criteria established
      by the RIR or NIR nominated by the receiving entity prior to
      approval of registration of the transfer.

      The transfer process:

          1. APNIC will update the registration records relating to
             the transferred addresses.

          2. APNIC will adjust the source's address holdings as of
             the date of transfer.

             In terms of membership and/or service fee calculations
             this shall be processed in the same manner as a return
             of address holdings to APNIC as of that date.

          3. The following transfer details will be published by
             APNIC in a public log of resource transfers:

                 - Source
                 - Recipient
                 - Recipient RIR or NIR
                 - Address resources
                 - Date of transfer

      Transfer fees:

      APNIC may charge the source entity a service fee on the
      transfer transaction. The transfer service fee may vary
      according to the total size of the address block being
      transferred.

      The transfer fee schedule shall be set initially by the APNIC
      Executive Council upon adoption of this policy. The transfer
      fee schedule will be included as part of any future review of
      APNIC fees and charges.

4.2 Transfer from member of another RIR or NIR to APNIC member

      The following constraints apply to the recipient of the IPv4
      address disposer (the "recipient entity"):

          - The recipient entity must be a current APNIC account
            holder.

          - The recipient entity of the transferred resources will
            be subject to current APNIC policies. In particular, in
            any subsequent APNIC IPv4 address allocation request,
            the recipient will be required to account for all IPv4
            address space held, including all transferred resources.

          - APNIC fees payable by the recipient will be assessed on
            the basis of all resources held.

      The following constraints apply to IPv4 address block being
      transferred:

          - Only IPv4 address blocks equal to, or larger than, a /24
            prefix may be transferred.

      APNIC will require the details of the source entity of the
      transfer, and will confirm that the source entity and the IPv4
      address block meets the eligibility criteria established by
      the RIR or NIR that holds the address registration prior to
      approval of registration of the transfer.

      The transfer process:

          1. APNIC will update the registration records relating to
             the transferred addresses.

          2. APNIC will adjust the recipient's address holdings to
             include the transferred addresses as of the date of the
             transfer.

             In terms of membership and/or service fee calculations
             this shall be processed in the same manner as an
             allocation or assignment of address holdings to the
             recipient as of that date.

             To preserve aggregation capabilities the transfer
             recipient may notify APNIC that the transferred address
             may be returned to the unallocated APNIC address pool,
             and a different address of the same size may be
             registered to the recipient of the transfer. This
             option would be available to the recipient of the
             transferred address, at the discretion of the
             recipient, and subject to availablility of an alternate
             address block from APNIC

          3. The following transfer details will be published by
             APNIC in a public log of resource transfers:

                 - Source
                 - Source RIR or NIR
                 - Recipient
                 - Address resources
                 - Date of transfer

      Transfer fees:

      APNIC may charge the recipient entity a service fee on the
      transfer transaction. The transfer service fee may vary
      according to the total size of the address block being
      transferred.

      The transfer fee schedule shall be set initially by the APNIC
      Executive Council upon adoption of this policy. The transfer
      fee schedule will be included as part of any future review of
      APNIC fees and charges.

5.   Advantages and disadvantages of the proposal
-------------------------------------------------

5.1 Advantages

      This proposal, by acknowledging the existence of address
      transfers and registering the outcomes, would ensure that the
      APNIC address registry continues to maintain accurate data
      about resources and resource holders. The proposal also
      ensures that those parties who currently rely on the accuracy
      of this registration information can continue to rely on the
      currency and accuracy of this information in good faith. In
      particular, it would:

          - Ensure that the APNIC registry continues to reflect the
            current actual status of IPv4 resource holdings by APNIC
            account holders.

          - Mitigate the risks to the integrity of the network, and
            its routing and addressing infrastructure in particular,
            associated with the unregistered transfers of IPv4
            addresses.

          - Provide a stronger incentive for unused IPv4 address
            space to return to active use, helping to satisfy
            residual demand for IPv4 address space across the IPv6
            transition.

5.2 Disadvantages (and responses)

      5.2.1 Altering the traditional concepts of IP addresses

            This proposal has the potential to alter a number of
            traditional preconceptions relating to addresses and
            their value, including challenging the concept that
            addresses are not in and of themselves assets and
            addresses do no in and of themselves have monetary value
            outside of the narrow constraints of use in networks for
            routing and end point identification. Changing these
            common percpetions about addresses and their use opens
            up the potential for a number of responses, including:

                - The loss of strong aggregation capability in the
                  address space, with the consequent load being
                  imposed on the routing system.

                - The significant shift away from a universal
                  need-based address allocation model in the
                  underlying policy framework.

                - The treatment of addresses as property with the
                  associated legal ramifications in terms of
                  corporate and contract law.

                - The imposition of taxes on addresses and their
                  movement.

                - The potential for unfairness and inequities to be
                  realized in terms of access to addresses for use
                  by network service providers.

            Response:

            A number of factors mitigate the risks above:

                - As the transition to IPv6 gathers pace, any
                  residual value of IPv4 addresses would fall in
                  line with the decreasing value proposition of
                  IPv4-based services in an increasing IPv6 network.

                - If this policy were to be adopted while IPv4
                  addresses are still available from APNIC, APNIC's
                  established IPv4 address allocation process would
                  continue to provide an alternative source of
                  supply of IPv4 addresses to the industry.

      5.2.2 Proposal diverts attention from address reclamation and
           resuse

            It has been argued that the proposal diverts attention
            from policy development that encourages IP address
            reclamation and reuse.

            Response:

            To date the level of return and reclamation of addresses
            has been minimal. Aside from price-based mechanisms it
            is unclear that further policy refinement would alter
            this situation.

            Even if policy development encouraged address
            reclamation and reuse, there is the distinct possibility
            that the amount reclaimed addresses would be smaller
            than the amount needed for APNIC to continue to allocate
            addresses on a needs-basis after the unallocated address
            pool has been exhausted.

            An open and significant issue is how APNIC could fairly
            ration limited addresses when faced with a much larger
            set of demands. In other words, concentrating on
            relamation and reuse policies rather than transfer
            policies also contains significant issues that may prove
            challenging to resolve as a policy matter.

      5.2.3 Potential for APNIC to be cast as a regulator

            If APNIC adopted this policy, APNIC may be cast as a
            regulator of a secondary market in addresses. Concerns
            have been expressed that APNIC has no experience,
            expertise nor the authority to enforce regulatory
            actions. Such a role may also expose APNIC to additional
            litigation.

            Response:

            This proposal does not advocate such a role for
            APNIC. The scope of this policy is explicitly limited to
            the conditions that would allow APNIC to recognise and
            record a transfer of addresses in its registry.

            There is a general belief that adoption of this policy
            would act as an incentive for a market in
            addresses. However, that does not imply that markets
            would act outside existing regulatory structures. Nor
            does it mean that market participants would be immune
            from existing regulatory measures within their
            respective regimes.

            The potential for additional liabilities associated with
            this policy should be the subject of legal review by an
            appropriately qualified party.

6.   Effect on APNIC members
----------------------------

APNIC members will have the ability to register the transfer of
IPv4 address resources between APNIC members.


7.   Effect on NIRs
-------------------

This policy would allow NIRs to determine their own transfer
policies, and allow the transfer of resources between APNIC members
and the members of an NIR based on meeting the respective
eligibility criteria for the transfer.

-30-
*              sig-policy:  APNIC SIG on resource management policy           *
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