Minimum Size for IPv4 Temporary Assignments

Summary of Proposal

This policy proposal recommends setting the minimum assignment size to a /24 while still allowing for a smaller assignment if requested by the End User. This policy proposal also allows routing requirements to justify the request for more than a /24 for research purposes.

Based on feedback on the first version, the proposed new policy text has been simplified, as well as paragraph 3.1 for consistency. 

Policy text:

a. Current policy text (if modification): 

3.1 Assignment Time Limits

[...]

In the case where an End User requires number resources for research purposes, and where the research project details are made public upon registration of the number resources by the RIPE NCC, and where the End User commits to making public the results of their research project free of charge and free from disclosure constraints, then the requested number resources may be issued for a period of up to one calendar year.

[...]

3.3 IPv4 Address Utilisation Rates

The utilisation rate of an assignment must be such that at least 50% of the total space applied for at the time of the assignment will be concurrently used at peak periods during the assignment.

[...]

b. New policy text: 

3.1 Assignment Time Limits

[...]

Number resources requested for research purposes may be issued for a period of up to one calendar year when both the following conditions are met:

• the research project details are made public upon registration of the number resources by the RIPE NCC.
• the End User commits to making public the results of their research project free of charge and free from disclosure constraints.

[...]

3.3 IPv4 Address Utilisation Rates

The default assignment size is a /24. Assignments smaller than a /24 can be made upon request. The utilisation rate of an assignment larger than a /24 must be such that at least 50% of the total space applied for at the time of the assignment will be concurrently used at peak periods during the assignment.

A request for more than a /24 for research purposes may be justified by routing requirements when both the following conditions are met:

• the research project details are made public upon registration of the number resources by the RIPE NCC.
• the End User commits to making public the results of their research project free of charge and free from disclosure constraints.

[...]

Rationale

a. Arguments supporting the proposal

• It allows all requesters to receive a routable IPv4 subnet.
• It allows researchers to receive an assignment larger than a /24, when not meeting the utilisation requirements, if justified by routing requirements.

b. Arguments opposing the proposal

• Large assignments issued for research, justified by routing requirements, may temporarily deplete the reserved IPv4 pool, preventing other users from finding available space.
• Research project details will need to be made public upon registration of the resources when the requests for assignments larger than a /24 are only justified by routing requirements. 

A. RIPE NCC's Understanding of the Proposal

It is the RIPE NCC's understanding that this proposed policy will in the following ways change the current practice for IPv4 temporary assignments in terms of assignment size and approval criteria:

ASSIGNMENT SIZE
The proposed policy defines that, from the moment it comes into effect, the default size of IPv4 temporary assignments will be a /24, yet it will remain possible to specifically request smaller or larger assignments.

CRITERIA
The proposed policy allows the RIPE NCC to approve requests for temporary assignments larger than a /24 for research purposes justified by routing requirements, if less than 50% of the total space applied for at the time of the assignment will be used concurrently at peak periods.

In this case, the research project details must be made public upon registration of the number resources by the RIPE NCC, and the End User must commit to making the results of their research project public, free of charge and free from disclosure constraints, even if the assignment is requested for a duration shorter than six months.

The evaluation of requests for temporary assignments up to a /24 will be based on the documentation of their purpose as defined in paragraph 2.1 of this policy.

B. Impact of Policy on Registry and Addressing System

The RIPE NCC does not expect any relevant impact on the Registry and Addressing System. Even considering the extreme scenario where temporary /24 routes are created for the entire /13 reserved pool, the global routing table will grow temporarily only by a few thousand entries.

C. Impact of Policy on RIPE NCC Operations/Services

The RIPE NCC does not expect a substantial increase in the number of requests. While the criteria for evaluating the request’s purpose will remain the same as in the current policy, the issuance of an assignment of a default size might reduce the handling time for requests not exceeding a /24 since the size of the assignment will not be based on the utilisation rate. 

D. Legal Impact of Policy

None

E. Implementation

Once the policy has become active, the RIPE Policy “Temporary Internet Number Assignment Policies” (ripe-587) will be updated. As described in the proposed policy, the contents of section 3.3 of the policy document will be replaced, and a new version of the RIPE Document will be published reflecting this change.

With the information currently available, it is expected that implementation of the new specifications in the proposal would require around one month to update internal and external processes and documentation.