[sig-policy] prop-102-v002: Sparse allocation guidelines for IPv6 resour
Version 002 of the proposal "prop-101: Sparse allocation guidelines for
IPv6 resource allocations" has been sent to the Policy SIG for review.
It will be presented at the Policy SIG at APNIC 33 in New Delhi, India,
on 1 March 2012.
Information about this and other policy proposals is available from:
http://www.apnic.net/policy/proposals
This new version of the proposal reflects feedback from the community
received on the Policy SIG mailing list:
- Ren-Hung Hwang added as a co-author
- Requires APNIC to publish the Sparse allocation algorithm as a
numbered document
- Removes the objective to ensure requesters can access space
sufficient for a 5 year
growth program
You are encouraged you to express your views on the proposal:
- Do you support or oppose 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?
Regards,
Andy, Skeeve, and Masato
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prop-102-v002: Sparse allocation guidelines for IPv6 resource
allocations
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Author: Dean Pemberton
<dean at deanpemberton dot com>
Co-authors: Ren-Hung Hwang
<rhhwang at gmail dot com>
1. Introduction
----------------
This proposal formalises the current use of a sparse allocation
strategy when allocating IPv6 resources from the APNIC free pool. The
proposal also requires that the allocation algorithm must be published
on the website, and any revisions should go through a discussion period
to receive feedback.
2. Summary of the current problem
----------------------------------
Large networks and economies are requesting blocks of IPv6 space
larger than the current allocation models allow. At present the
allocation strategies look at a timeline on the order of 1-2 years.
Organisations are now having to look to a 5-10 year time-frame when
deploying large IPv6 networks.
They are understandably concerned about their ability to secure access
to 5-10 years of aggregatable address space if they are only allocated
on 1-2 year needs basis. We have seen requests in proposals such as
prop-98, prop-99 and prop-100, which seek to find ways to allow for
larger allocations or reserve an amount of space for future
organisational use. All of these proposals seek to make large changes to
the way that IPv6 addresses are allocated by APNIC in order to address
these legitimate concerns.
It would seem however that there is an alternative solution which
would only require a small change to current operating procedure.
At present the APNIC operating procedure is for hostmasters to use a
method of sparse-allocation when allocating IPv6 addresses out of the
APNIC free pool.
The sparse-allocation allows for allocations to be given from a larger
pool in such a way that members can request neighbouring allocations at
a later date and aggregate these together in to a larger routable
allocation.
While this has been APNIC operating procedure for some time, it is not
subject to oversight by any particular APNIC policy. As such the exact
algorithm used as well as the parameters around this sparse-allocation
algorithm are not open to member input or adjustment through the policy
development process.
While members may surmise that a neighbouring allocation may be
waiting for them should they need it, this is not guarenteed and
therefore can not be used as part of the members future planning
process.
3. Situation in other RIRs
---------------------------
Unknown at this point.
4. Details
-----------
This proposal seeks to make the following additions/changes to APNIC
policy
1. APNIC should the use sparse allocation when allocating IPv6
resources from APNIC address pools
2. APNIC must publish the details of the sparse allocation framework
on the APNIC website as a numbered document. Changes to this document
should be handled as per APNIC-112 "APNIC document editorial policy".
5. Pros/Cons
-------------
Advantages:
- APNIC Members will have surety that the current sparse allocation
mechanism will continue to be used. - Through the use of sparse
allocation, APNIC Members are able to ensure that they will
receive aggregatable blocks within a longer planning window. They
can use this surety in their internal network planning processes.
Disadvantages:
- The hostmasters would be required to document and publish the
sparse allocation mechanism. This may have an increased workload
requirement. It is not anticipated that this increase would be
significant as changes to the algorithm are not expected to occur
frequently.
6. Effect on APNIC Members
--------------------------
APNIC members would be able to see the published details of the sparse
allocation policy used by APNIC to allocate IPv6 resources from its
address pool.
APNIC members would apply for address space much like they do today
and an allocation would be made under the same rules as apnic-089-v010.
The only different would be that if the member can show a growth
estimate for up to 5 years, APNIC will allocate their resources from a
sparse allocation to accommodate this growth and future resource
requests.
7. Effect on NIRs
------------------
The policy would apply when NIRs request address space from APNIC The
proposal allows NIRs to choose when to adopt this policy for their
Members.