RIR Comparative Policy Overview 2005-09

30 Sep 2005

RIR Comparative Policy Overview – 2005-09

(version 2005-09)

The goal of this document is to provide a comparative overview of policies across the 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 While this document was accurate on the date of publication (September 30, 2005), it may be outdated by subsequent policy implementations. The official policy documents can be found at the respective web sites 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 web sites.

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 member only. But registered resources are publicly available.
	Fee model	Not-for profit. Fee established every year 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-members 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 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 satisfied 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	Category	Policy	Comment
AFRINIC	Size	Minimum /22	Contiguous allocation provided where possible.
	Eligibility	Demonstrate 80% efficient utilisation of all prior allocated space.
	Period	Up to 2 years
APNIC	Size	Minimum /21, no maximum.
	Eligibility	Demonstrate 80% efficient utilisation of all prior allocated space.
	Period	3 months up to 1 year based on previous utilisation.
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	3 months.
RIPE NCC	Size	Minimum /21, no maximum.
	Eligibility	Demonstrate approximately 80% efficient utilisation of all prior allocated space.
	Period	Up to two years, previous utilisation considered.

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	The use of NAT is neither encouraged nor discussed during the request process.

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

RIR	Policy
APNIC	Blocks of Autonomous System numbers are allocated to NIRs for further distribution to their members.
AFRINIC ARIN LACNIC RIPE NCC	Not applicable.

RIR	Policy
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.
AFRINIC ARIN RIPE NCC	Not applicable.
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 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 esults of the experiment must be published on a public website.

RIR	Category	Policy
AFRINIC	Size	Slow start: /22 (can be exceeded when documented immediate infrastructure need exceeds /22).
	Eligibility	The requesting organization must show an existing efficient utilization of IP addresses from their upstream provider. Justification may be based on a combination of immediate need and existing usage, in which case, the existing assignments must be renumbered into the LIR’s new allocation.
	Period	2 years
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; multihomed; agree to renumber, or For a /21: efficient utilisation of /22 from upstream; multihomed; agree to renumber, or For a /20: efficient utilisation of /21 from upstream; multihomed; 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	Not set during “slow start”.

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	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’ policy	See section 2.5.1 ‘Assignment Window’ below.

RIR	Category	Policy	Comment
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, IXPs. NIR	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	No special policy.	Portable address space can be obtained by submitting a request through an existing LIR.
	Size	Not applicable.
	Eligibility	Not applicable.
AFRINIC	Definition	No specific policy.	Portable space can be obtained by submitting a request directly to AFRINIC.
	Size	Not applicable.
	Eligibility	Not applicable.

RIR	Category	Policy	Comment
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.
AFRINIC	Size	No special policy.	Portable space can be obtained by submitting a request directly to AFRINIC.
AFRINIC	Eligibility	No special 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.

(version 2005-09)

RIR Comparative Policy Overview

(version 2005-09)

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 allocation

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 allocation

3.3 Assignments by RIRs (independent/portable)

3.3.1 Critical infrastructure

3.3.2 Internet exchange points (IXPs)

3.4 Assignments by LIRs (aggregatable/non-portable)

3.4.1 Dynamic addressing

3.4.2 Mobile terminals

3.4.3 Web hosting

3.4.4 Network address translation (NAT)

4. Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs)

4.1 Allocations

4.2 Assignments

5. Database – Registration

6. Reverse DNS

7. National Internet Registries (NIRs)

8. Policy development

9. Internet experiments

10. Documentation prefix

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