Number Resource Organization Document Store - RIR Comparative Policy Overview

RIR Comparative Policy Overview
9 July 2007

(version 2007-03)

The goal of this document is to provide a comparative overview of policies across the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) system. It is not a policy statement by the RIRs, but serves as a reference for the Internet community. While this document was accurate on the date of publication (9 July 2007), it may be outdated by subsequent policy implementations. The official policy documents can be found at the respective websites of the RIRs. This is a public document that will be reviewed and revised through the co-ordinated efforts of the RIRs.

For more information, refer to the AfriNIC, APNIC, ARIN, LACNIC, and RIPE NCC websites.

1. General

1.1 Goals of the RIR System

RIR	Policy
AfriNIC APNIC ARIN LACNIC RIPE NCC	All allocations and assignments of Internet resources must be consistent with the goals of the Internet Registry system: aggregation, conservation and registration.

RIR	Category	Policy
AfriNIC	Qualification	Membership is globally open without condition.
	Access to registration services	Registration service is accessible by members only. Registered resources are publicly available.
	Fee model	Not-for profit. Fee established by members to enable cost recovery of operations.
APNIC	Qualification	Membership is open globally without conditions.
	Access to registration services	Members have full access to all services. Non-member account holders may access resource assignment and allocation services.
	Fee model	Not-for-profit organisation. Fee schedule established to enable cost recovery of operations.
ARIN	Qualification	Open globally without conditions. Organisations that receive allocations automatically become members.
	Access to registration services	Do not need to be a member to receive registration services.
	Fee model	Not-for-profit organisation. Fee schedule established to enable cost recovery of operations.
LACNIC	Qualification	Membership is open to LACNIC region only, without conditions.
	Access to registration services	Organisations approved for IP addresses automatically become members. It is not necessary to become a member to obtain some services like ASN assignments. Only organisations based in LACNIC region may apply for resources.
	Fee model	Not-for-profit organisation. Fee schedule established to enable cost recovery of operations.
RIPE NCC	Qualification	Membership is open globally without conditions.
	Access to registration services	Members only.
	Fee model	Not-for-profit organisation. Fee schedule established to enable cost recovery of operations.

RIR	Policy
AfriNIC	Assignments remain valid as long as the original criteria on which the assignment was based are still in place, membership fees paid, and the assignment is registered in the AfriNIC database.
APNIC	Allocates and assigns on a 'license' basis, to be of specific limited duration (normally 1 year). Licenses are renewable if: a) the original basis of the allocation or assignment remains valid and b) requirements have been met at time of renewal.
ARIN LACNIC	Valid as long as original criteria remain satisfied and registration fees are kept up to date.
RIPE NCC	Valid as long as original criteria remain satisfied.

RIR	Policy
AfriNIC ARIN LACNIC RIPE NCC	Do not allow sale of addresses, but recognise name changes and transfers of tangible assets associated with addresses. Requires submission of legal documents. Utilisation is verified. May require new agreement.
APNIC	As above, with the exception of “historical resource transfers”. “Historical” resources can be transferred to APNIC members without the need for the technical justification procedures.

RIR	Category	Policy	Comment
AfriNIC	Size	Minimum /22, no maximum.	Contiguous allocation provided where possible.
	Eligibility	Demonstrate 80% efficient utilisation of all prior allocated space or an immediate need that requires more IP addresses than are available in the LIRs most recent allocation.
	Period	1 year.
APNIC	Size	Minimum /21, no maximum.
	Eligibility	Demonstrate 80% efficient utilisation of all prior allocated space.
	Period	Up to 1 year.
ARIN	Size	Minimum /22 for multihomed, otherwise /20, no maximum.
	Eligibility	Demonstrate efficient utilisation of all previous allocations and at least 80% of the most recent allocation.
	Period	3 months. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) may request 6 months after they have been an ARIN member for one year.
LACNIC	Size	Minimum /20, no maximum.
	Eligibility	Demonstrate 80% efficient utilisation of all prior allocated space.
	Period	12 months.
RIPE NCC	Size	Minimum /21, no maximum.
	Eligibility	Demonstrate approximately 80% efficient utilisation of all prior allocated space.
	Period	Up to 12 months.

RIR	Policy
AfriNIC APNIC ARIN LACNIC RIPE NCC	In general, dynamic assignment of IP addresses is expected on transient connections such as analogue dialup.

RIR	Policy
AfriNIC APNIC ARIN LACNIC RIPE NCC	There is no special assignment policy with respect to mobile terminals.

RIR	Policy
AfriNIC APNIC ARIN LACNIC RIPE NCC	Name based web hosting is strongly encouraged where feasible.

RIR	Policy
AfriNIC APNIC ARIN LACNIC RIPE NCC	The use of NAT is neither encouraged nor discussed during the request process.

RIR	Policy
AfriNIC APNIC ARIN LACNIC RIPE NCC	For private networks that will never be connected to the Internet, the requestor is made aware of the IPv4 address space reserved for use in RFC1918.

RIR	Policy
AfriNIC APNIC ARIN LACNIC RIPE NCC	There is no recommendation for IPv6 assignments in support of web hosting at this time.

RIR	Category	Policy
AfriNIC	Size	Slow start: /22 (can be exceeded when justified by requesting LIR).
	Eligibility	The requesting organisation must show an existing efficient utilization of IP addresses from their upstream provider or an immediate need of IP addresses. Justification may be based on a combination of immediate need and existing usage.
	Period	1 year.
APNIC	Size	Slow start: /21 (can be exceeded when documented immediate infrastructure need exceeds /21).
	Eligibility	a) Membership or pay non-member fee; b) have previously used or can demonstrate immediate need for /23; c) complied with policies in managing all previous address space; d) detailed plan for use of a /22 within a year; e) commit to renumber from previously deployed space.
	Period	1 year.
ARIN	Size	Slow start: /22 minimum for multihomed, otherwise /20 (can be exceeded when documented immediate need exceeds /20).
	Eligibility	For a /22: efficient utilisation of a /23 from upstream; intent to multihome; agree to renumber, or For a /21: efficient utilisation of /22 from upstream; intent to multihome; agree to renumber, or For a /20: efficient utilisation of /21 from upstream; intent to multihome; agree to renumber, or Efficient utilisation of /20 from upstream (no renumbering required).
	Period	3 months.
LACNIC	Size	Slow start: /21, otherwise /20 (can be exceeded when documented immediate need exceeds /20).
	Eligibility	For a /21: documented need of a /23; or For a /20: Must have /22 from upstream; multihomed; agree to renumber within 12 months. or If not multihomed must demonstrate use of /21 from upstream and agree to renumber within 12 months. or Demonstrate immediate need.
	Period	3 months.
RIPE NCC	Size	Slow start: /21 (can be exceeded when justified).
	Eligibility	a) Membership; b) Demonstration of need.
	Period	Up to 12 months.

RIR	Policy	Comment
AfriNIC	LIRs may sub-allocate addresses to other organisations, which further assign addresses to End Users. LIRs also assign addresses. Sub-allocations are subject to the ‘Sub-Allocation Window’ procedure.
APNIC	LIRs may sub-allocate addresses to other organisations, which further assign addresses to end-users. LIRs also assign addresses. Sub-allocations are subject to the ‘Assignment Window’ procedure.	See section 2.5.1 'Assignment Window' below.
ARIN	ISPs may sub-allocate addresses to other organisations, which further assign addresses to End Users.
LACNIC	RIR allocates and assigns IP blocks to organisations that can be ISPs, End Users or National Internet Registries, (NIRs - see section 7). NIRs allocate and assign IP blocks to organisations in their countries. ISPs may sub-allocate IP blocks to other ISPs or assign them to End Users.
RIPE NCC	An LIR may sub-allocate up to a /20 (4096 addresses) to a downstream network operator every twelve months, who can then assign addresses to End Users. The minimum size of a sub-allocation is a /24.	See section 2.5.1 'Assignment Window' below.

RIR	Category	Policy	Comment
AfriNIC	Definition	Public IXPs and core DNS service providers.	Portable space can be obtained by submitting a request directly to AfriNIC.
	Size	/24
	Eligibility	No specific criteria defined.
APNIC	Definition	Root DNS, ccTLD, gTLD, IANA, RIRs.
	Size	/24 minimum.
	Eligibility	Assignments to critical infrastructure are available only to the actual operators of the network infrastructure performing such functions.
ARIN	Definition	Root DNS, ccTLD, gTLD, IANA, RIRs.	Requested via the 'micro-allocations' policy.
	Size	/24 minimum.
	Eligibility	Assignments to critical infrastructure are available only to the actual operators of the network infrastructure performing such functions.
LACNIC	Definition	Root DNS, ccTLD, gTLD, IANA, RIRs.	Requested via the 'micro-allocations' policy.
	Size	/24 minimum.
	Eligibility	Assignments to critical infrastructure are available only to the actual operators of the network infrastructure performing such functions.
RIPE NCC	Definition	Anycasting ccTLD, gTLD	Address space can be obtained by submitting a request through an existing LIR.
	Size	/24
	Eligibility	If the name server set of a ccTLD or a gTLD without anycasting technology applied would not pass the "IANA Administrative Procedure for Root Zone Name Server Delegation and Glue Data' the TLD administrator may receive a single dedicated /24 network prefix for the sole purpose of anycasting name servers, as described in RFC 3258.

RIR	Category	Policy	Comment
AfriNIC	Size	/24.	Portable space can be obtained by submitting a request directly to AfriNIC.
AfriNIC	Eligibility	No specific criteria defined.
APNIC	Size	/24 minimum assignment.	There is no restriction on routing prefixes assigned under this policy.
APNIC	Eligibility	Must be an IXP. The number of ISPs connected should be at least three and there must be a clear and open policy for others to join.
ARIN	Size	/24 minimum assignment.	Requested via the 'micro-allocations' policy.
ARIN	Eligibility	Exchange point operators must provide justification for the allocation, including: connection policy, location, other participants (minimum of two total), ASN, and contact information.	Requested via the 'micro-allocations' policy.
LACNIC	Size	/24.	Requested via the 'micro-allocations' policy.
LACNIC	Eligibility	Exchange point operators must provide documentation showing that it is an IXP, list of participants, structure diagram and numbering plan.	Requested via the 'micro-allocations' policy.
RIPE NCC	Size	No special policy.	Portable address space for this purpose can be requested via an existing LIR.
RIPE NCC	Eligibility	No special policy.

RIR	Policy
APNIC	Blocks of ASNs are allocated to NIRs for further distribution to their members.
AfriNIC ARIN LACNIC RIPE NCC	Not applicable.

RIR	Policy
AfriNIC ARIN RIPE NCC	Not applicable.
APNIC	NIRs operate in Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia and Vietnam. They are not ISPs. They allocate to their members within their economy following APNIC policies. Organisations within those NIR economies may go to either the relevant NIR or APNIC.
LACNIC	NIRs operate in Brazil and Mexico. They are not ISPs. They allocate to their members following LACNIC policies. NIRs are responsible for providing services within their country.

RIR	Policy
AfriNIC APNIC ARIN LACNIC RIPE NCC	The policy development process is consensus based, open to anyone to participate and is transparent in archiving all decisions and policies so that they are publicly accessible.

RIR	Policy
AfriNIC APNIC RIPE NCC	Allocations and assignments of Internet resources for Internet experiments are available. Such allocations or assignments are made for one year after which they must be returned. They are intended to support experimental Internet activities. Results of experiments must be made freely available to the public.
ARIN	ARIN will allocate Numbering Resources to entities requiring temporary Numbering Resources for a fixed period of time under the terms of recognised experimental activity.
LACNIC	LACNIC shall make experimental allocations with the aim of encouraging research and development within the region of Latin America and the Caribbean. The experimental allocation shall be for a period of one year, renewable for a period of the same duration, with no specified maximum. The results of the experiment must be published on a public website.

RIR	Policy
APNIC	A documentation prefix is available to organisations wishing to use examples of Internet resources in educational materials, case studies and other documentation.
AfriNIC ARIN LACNIC RIPE NCC	No policy.

(version 2007-03)

1. General

1.1 Goals of the RIR System

1.2 Membership

1.3 Allocation Terms and Conditions

1.3.1 Type of Custodianship

1.3.2 Transfer of Custodianship

1.3.3 Recovering Unused Resources

2. IPv4

2.1 Initial Allocation

2.2 Subsequent Allocations

2.3 Sub-Allocations

2.4 Assignments by RIRs (Independent/Portable)

2.4.1 General

2.4.2 Critical Infrastructure

2.4.3 Internet Exchange Points (IXPs)

2.5 Assignments by LIRs (Aggregatable/Non-Portable)

2.5.1 Assignment Window

2.5.2 Dynamic Addressing

2.5.3 Mobile Terminals

2.5.4 Web Hosting

2.5.5 Network Address Translation (NAT)

2.5.6 RFC1918 Private Address Space

3. IPv6

3.1 Initial Allocation

3.2 Subsequent Allocations

3.3 Other Allocations

3.3.1 Micro-Allocations for Internal Infrastructure

3.4 Assignments by RIRs (Independent/Portable)

3.4.1 Critical Infrastructure

3.4.2 Internet Exchange Points (IXPs)

3.4.3 End Users

3.5 Assignments by LIRs (Aggregatable/Non-Portable)

3.5.1 Dynamic Addressing

3.5.2 Mobile Terminals

3.5.3 Web Hosting

3.5.4 Network Address Translation (NAT)

4. Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs)

4.1 Allocations

4.2 Assignments

4.2.1 32-bit ASNs

5. Database - Registration

6. Reverse DNS

7. National Internet Registries (NIRs)

8. Policy Development

9. Internet Experiments

10. Documentation Prefix