RIPE Policy Proposal 2008-09

This proposal seeks to modify the current policy document 'Autonomous System (AS) Number Assignment Policies and Procedures' to adopt the use of ASPLAIN for recording and representation of 4-byte AS Numbers.

a. Current (if modify):

(in ripe-389)

1.9 4-byte AS Numbers

. . .

Terminology

"2-byte only AS Numbers" refers to AS Numbers in the range 0 - 65535

"4-byte only AS Numbers" refers to AS Numbers in the range 1.0 - 65535.65535 (decimal range 65,536 - 4,294,967,295)

"4-byte AS Numbers" refers to AS Numbers in the range 0.0 - 65535.65535 (decimal range 0 - 4,294,967,295)

b. New:

1.9 4-byte AS Numbers
. . .

The RIPE NCC assigns and registers 4-byte AS Numbers in ASPLAIN format. ASPLAIN defines the 4-byte AS Number as a basic 32-bit integer. It is the current format used to represent 2-byte AS Numbers. Accordingly, the following representation will be used:

Original 2-byte AS pool :   0 – 65535
New 4-byte AS pool:          0 - 4294967295

Terminology

"2-byte only AS Numbers" refers to AS Numbers in the range 0 - 65535

"4-byte only AS Numbers" refers to AS Numbers in the range 65536 - 4294967295

"4-byte AS Numbers" refers to AS Numbers in the range 0 - 4294967295

a. Arguments Supporting the Proposal

The operator community almost unanimously supports the use of ASPLAIN as it is most backwards compatible with current operational systems and provides the least resistance to deployment and adoption of 4-byte AS Numbers. Given that the operator community prefers ASPLAIN and the IETF is close to adopting a BCP recommending the use ASPLAIN this proposal seeks to change the format used by RIPE to ASPLAIN.

A list of advantages of ASPLAIN are as follows:

• ASPLAIN has wide support in the operator community
• IETF is progressing as-representation-01.txt as a standard
  
• ASPLAIN does not break AS-PATH REGEX
  
• APNIC reached consensus to adopt ASPLAIN for assignment and representation of 4-byte AS Numbers
  
• Routers vendors appear to be supporting ASPLAIN, which will require no conversion from allocation to configuration.

b. Arguments Opposing the Proposal

• ASDOT is more easily remembered
  
• All existing 4-byte only assignments have been made in ASDOT