Secretariat observations - new trends:

Many non-ISP type (Data centres, Hosting providers, etc.) members are requesting multiple customer ASNs from APNIC. This trend could be to get free ASNs from APNIC as a value-added service and lease it to customers for a nominal fee.

Recommendations:

1. The proposal uses the term "ASN User" instead of the term "customer" in the current policy document. To avoid confusion and to be consistent, we recommend using the term "customer" in the proposal.

2. The changes proposed to Section 13.0, and the new added Section 13.4 are not required if the additional terms language in Section 12.4 is clearly clarified (worded). Secretariat recommends the following change:

Implementation:

Dear SIG members,

The proposal "prop-143-v001: ASN to Customer" has been sent to
the Policy SIG for review.

It will be presented at the Open Policy Meeting (OPM) at APNIC 53 on
Wednesday, 02 March 2022.

https://conference.apnic.net/53/program/schedule-conference/#/day/10

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

The comment period on the mailing list before the OPM is an important
part of the Policy Development Process (PDP). 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?

Information about this proposal is appended below as well as available at:

http://www.apnic.net/policy/proposals/prop-143

Regards,
Bertrand, Shaila, and Ching-Heng
APNIC Policy SIG Chairs


---------------------------------------------------------------

prop-143-v001: ASN to Customer

---------------------------------------------------------------

Proposer: Jordi Palet Martínez (jordi.palet@theipv6company.com)
Anupam Agrawal (anupamagrawal.in@gmail.com)


1. Problem statement
--------------------
Section 12.4 allows a LIR to provide an ASN to a customer, but doesn’t allow that ASN to
be used by the customer if ceases to receive connectivity, even if the customer gets
connectivity from another LIR or becomes a direct APNIC/NIR customer. It also contradicts
the options for a transfer.

This generates problems in many situations, such as, for example:
• Bankruptcy of the LIR that originally provided the ASN, even if other upstream providers
where that ASN was being used still provide the connectivity.
• The customer becomes a direct APNIC/NIR member.
• The LIR change providers (including the one that provided the ASN) but the customer network
is the same.

The ASNs aren’t a resource that it is subjected to exhaustion in the medium-long term, but it is also
understandable that ASNs not used should be returned.

However, it doesn’t make sense that an ASN that has been assigned to a customer needs to be returned
if business situations change, but the network using that ASN is still connected to Internet and willing
to use the same ASN.

It should be noticed that the criteria for obtaining the ASN was already initially fulfilled by that
customer, not the LIR, so that’s granted.

This is especially relevant when organizations do the transition to IPv6, as they may have been customers
from several upstream providers and not have IPv4 allocations, but they need those for IPv6 PI, which will
be directly assigned by APNIC (or the relevant NIR), and consequently they need to keep an ASN.

This should not be considered a transfer in the sense that the ASN was already used by that organization,
so there is no actually being transferred from one user to another.



2. Objective of policy change
-----------------------------
Simplify the process and avoid a ASN change in certain cases, recognize a new use case for transfer and most
importantly, record the transfer criteria in the policy document.


3. Situation in other regions
-----------------------------
Other RIRs don’t have explicit rules or restrictions on those cases, at least not clearly stated in policies,
but the transfer of ASN is much simpler, so it fulfills what this proposal is trying to achieve.


4. Proposed policy solution
---------------------------
Proposed text:
12.4. Providing ASN to customer
Assignments to organizations that will provide the ASN to one of its customers are subject to the following additional terms:
1. The customer that will actually use the ASN must meet the criteria in Section 12.0.
2. The requesting organization is responsible for maintaining the registration described in Section 5.3.3. on behalf of the customer.
3. If the customer ceases to receive connectivity from the requesting organization it must return the ASN. The requesting organization
is expected to enter into an agreement with the customer to this effect.
4. Any ASNs returned to the requesting organization must then be returned to APNIC or the relevant NIR.
5. Alternatively, the same ASN could be registered:
• via another upstream provider connecting that customer, or
• directly by the ASN user in cases when it becomes an APNIC/NIR member.

13.0. ASN Transfers
Autonomous System Numbers may be transferred in accordance with the following policies. APNIC does not recognize transfers outside this policy and require organizations holding such transfers to return them.
APNIC recognizes there will be situations where ASNs may be transferred between:
• Current APNIC account holders
• Current APNIC account holders and organizations in other RIR regions
• Organizations through a merger, acquisition, or takeover
• Current ASN User becoming APNIC Member

13.4. ASN User becoming APNIC Member
APNIC will process and record ASN transfer requests from ASN User having received ASN from an existing APNIC member when ASN user itself becomes an APNIC member.


5. Advantages / Disadvantages
-----------------------------
Advantages:
Fulfilling the objective above indicated. Avoids the original ASN user to reconfigure devices and provides “stability” of the stats for that ASN (the traffic is from the same customer).

Disadvantages:
It may be perceived as a transfer, but actually is not, because the user of the ASN is the same as the one that was originally assigned to.


6. Impact on resource holders
-----------------------------
None.


7. References
-------------
Nil.

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