IPv6 PI Clarification

Proposal

1.0 Summary of the problem being addressed by this proposal

By means of policy proposal “IPv6 PI Update” (AFPUB-2018-V6-004), the IPv6 Provider Independent (PI) space policy that provides IPv6 space for end-sites was revised/updated.

This revision however overlooked a sentence in the previous section 6.8.2.v, which read:

“The 'end-site' must show a plan to use and announce the IPv6 provider independent address space within twelve (12) months. After that period, if not announced, the assigned IPv6 PI address space should be reclaimed and returned to the free pool by AFRINIC”. 

This text was retained under 6.8.2.iv.

Of course, this doesn’t make sense because there are several possible cases, which are in the scope of this policy, that will not announce their IPv6 PI address space, such as:

1. IXP’s LAN peering space.

2. In IPv6 there is no private address space equivalent to the IPv4 one as per RFC1918, so if an organization needs IPv6 space for numbering a network or a set of them, even if those aren’t connected today to the Internet, the RIR should be able to provide that space.

2.0 Summary of how this proposal addresses the problem 

Simple rewording of the text to allow those cases that don’t need to announce their IPv6 PI space.

3.0 Proposal 

4. References             

Other RIRs have already accommodated this requirement in their policies:

• APNIC: 10.1.4. Provider Independent IPv6 assignment

https://www.apnic.net/community/policy/resources#Part%203:%20IPv6%20Policy

• ARIN: 6.5.8.1. Initial Assignment Criteria

https://www.arin.net/participate/policy/nrpm/#6-5-8-direct-assignments-from-arin-to-end-user-organizations

• LACNIC: 4.5.4.2 Direct assignment of portable IPv6 addresses to End sites not having portable IPv4 addresses previously assigned by LACNIC

https://www.lacnic.net/684/2/lacnic/4-ipv6-address-allocation-and-assignment-policies

• RIPE: IPv6 Provider Independent (PI) Assignments

https://www.ripe.net/publications/docs/ripe-707#IPv6_PI_Assignments

Revision History

Staff Assessment

PDF Version

1.0 Staff Understanding of the Proposal

1. The proposal intends to delete the text in CPM 6.8.2.v, that reads: “The 'end-site' must show a plan to use and announce the IPv6 provider independent address space within twelve (12) months. After that period, if not announced, the assigned IPv6 PI address space should be reclaimed and returned to the free pool by AFRINIC”. According to the author, this is because there are several possible scenarios where IPv6 PI space issued will in fact not be announced, such as IXP LAN peering space. And there being no RFC1918 address space equivalent for IPv6, if say, an organisation needs IPv6 space for numbering a network or a set of them that aren’t (or won't be) connected to the Internet, AFRINIC should be able to provide that space.
2. Clauses 6.8.2(a) and (b)(v) are also reworded to align with the deletion of the sentence above.
3. CPM 6.8.2 b (iv) will be modified to remove the requirement for AFRINIC to reclaim any IPV6 PI space that is not announced after 12 months. The requirement for the organisation to present a plan to use the space within 12 months will be retained.
4. CPM 6.8.2 b (v) will be re-worded to allow the possibility that IPv6 PI space will not be announced. The requirement for the space not to be de-aggregated (if it is announced) will be retained.

2.0 Staff Comments

The proposal mentions a lot about end sites, but these in fact refer to the organisation, not an actual site. If an organisation has many "end-sites", then only one AFRINIC memberhip should be required for that organisation.

3.0 Comments from Legal Counsel

None

4.0 Implementation

4.1 Timeline & Impact : Proposal will be implemented with no impact.

4.2 Implementation Requirements : Updates to internal resource evaluation process documents for IPv6 PI space.