Returned IPv4 Addresses ARIN-2011-6

Purpose of Proposal Right now if any RIR gets a returned block of IPv4 space, especially those longer than a /8, and they give it back to the IANA, there is no global policy in place under which the IANA can give that block back to the community. This policy attempts to specifically state what ARIN will do with blocks that are returned (hand them back out within ARIN). It also occurs to me that if the IANA were to get a /8 back now what would they do with it? Give it to the first RIR that asks and can justify it? It seems that in this post-IANA runout phase there isn’t really a policy for what to do with returned /8s either. CLG – Agreed. Right now, as I read it, IANA could not hand anything out at all (including /8s).

ARIN-2011-6 Policy statement: 4.1.9 Returned IPv4 Addresses Except where otherwise directed by policy; all IPv4 addresses returned to, recovered, or revoked by ARIN will be made available for allocation or assignment in the ARIN region as quickly as practicable. Rationale: Adopting this proposal will result in the clarification of the status of returned IPv4 addresses. IPv4 address resources should not sit idle due to lack of policy clarity. Timetable for implementation: Immediately

Changes to original text Originally the proposal had the following components: 30 Day hold period Only applied to legacy address blocks Specified that blocks would be allocated to “ARIN members”

Staff Comments Deviates from current practice which is to return any recovered or returned /8s to the IANA. Staff will continue to implement its own current operating practice by recycling returned address space. The community should consider amending the Rationale to state “… status of existing and future returned IPv4 addresses” if that matches the policy intent.  The clarification would avoid any misinterpretation in implementation when handling space returned, recovered, or revoked before policy adoption. Minimal resource impact So according to staff this only changes their current practice in one way and that is to have them not return /8s recovered to the IANA. Also we should decide if it pertains to existing and future returned space, I guess in case there is a /8 that has been recovered that hasn’t been given to the IANA

PPML Discussion Points Changes to original text 30 day hold down vs “as quickly as practicable” Legacy only vs all IPv4 addresses ARIN members vs “in the ARIN region” Keeping space local vs global responsibility When will there be global policy for what IANA should do with returned blocks?

Proposal Pros Gives clear policy to ARIN for what to do with returned or recovered IPv4 address blocks Helps keep address space from being stranded at the IANA May help spur work on a global policy for IANA action with returned blocks

Proposal Cons May not be fair to all regions because most space that might be returned is pre-RIR space and most of that space is in the ARIN region