Dear colleagues
The four-week final comment period for the proposal 'Allocate
1.0.0.0/24and
1.1.1.0/24 to APNIC Labs as Research Prefixes' has ended.
During the comment period there were no objections raised to the
proposal. The Chairs therefore deem that consensus has been maintained
on the proposal.
We formally request that the APNIC Executive Council endorse this
proposal.
For a detailed history of this proposal see:
Regards
APNIC Policy SIG Chairs
Andy, Masato
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Research Prefixes
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1. Problem statement
----------------------------
Network 1 (
1.0.0.0/8) was allocated to APNIC by the IANA on 19
January 2010. In line with standard practice APNIC's Resource Quality
Assurance activities determined that 95% of the address space would
be suitable for delegation as it was found to be relatively free of
unwanted traffic [1].
Testing, conducted by APNIC R&D found that certain blocks within
Network 1 attract significant amounts of unsolicited incoming
traffic. [2]
Analysis revealed that, prior to any delegations being made from the
block,
1.0.0.0/8 attracted an average of 140Mbps - 160Mbps of
incoming traffic as a continuous sustained traffic level, with peak
bursts of over 800Mbps. This analysis highlighted the individual
addresses 1.1.1.1 as the single address with the highest level of
unsolicited traffic, and it was recommended that the covering /24
prefix, and also
1.1.1.0/24 be withheld from allocation pending a
decision as to the longer term disposition of these address prefixes.
As these addresses attract extremely high levels of unsolicited
incoming traffic, the blocks have been withheld from allocation and
periodically checked to determine if the incoming traffic profile has
altered. None has been observed to date. After four years, it now
seems unlikely there will ever be any change in the incoming traffic
profile.
This proposal is intended to define a long term approach to the
2. Objective of policy change
--------------------------------------
The objective of this proposal is to allocate
1.0.0.0/24 and
1.1.1.0/24 to APNIC Labs, to be used as research prefixes.
3. Situation in other regions
-------------------------------------
Other RIRs (notably the RIPE NCC) have used their policy process to
review self-allocations of number resources to the RIR as a means of
ensuring transparency of the address allocation process. This
proposal is consistent with such a practice.
4. Proposed policy solution
-----------------------------------
This proposal recommends that the APNIC community agree to allocate
intent is to use these prefixes as passive traffic collectors in
order to generate a long term profile of unsolicited traffic in the
IPv4 internet that is directed to well known addresses to study
various aspects of traffic profiles and route scope leakages.
An experiment in gathering a profile of unsolicited traffic directed
at
1.1.1.0/24 was started by APNIC Labs in 2013, in collaboration
with Google. This experiment was set up as a temporary exercise to
understand the longer term trend of the traffic profile associated
with this address. Through this policy proposal we would like to
place this research experiment on a more certain longer term
foundation.
5. Advantages / Disadvantages
----------------------------------------
Advantages
- It will make use of this otherwise unusable address space.
- The research analysis may assist network operators to understand
the effectiveness of route scoping approaches.
Disadvantages
- The proposer is unclear what the downsides to this action may be.
The consideration of this proposal by the community may allow
potential downsides to be identified.
6. Impact on APNIC
-------------------------
There are no impacts on APNIC.
References
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[1] Resource Quality Good for Most of IPv4 Network “1”
