[address-policy-wg] DRAFT: Simplifying Number Resource Status

24 Oct 2024

      Dear colleagues,

following up on my presentation at RIPE 88, please find below a draft version of the policy proposal for simplifying the status of number resource records. I wanted to get this out much earlier, my apologies for the delay. 

Looking forward to your constructive feedback ahead of next week’s session.

Kind regards,

Remco van Mook

—— 

Number: (assigned by the RIPE NCC)

Policy Proposal Name: Simplifying Number Resource Status

Author:  
Remco van Mook \<remco.vanmook@gmail.com\>

Proposal Version: (assigned by the RIPE NCC)

Submission Date: TBD

Suggested RIPE WG for discussion and publication: Address Policy

Proposal Type: modification or deletion

Policy Term: Indefinite

Summary of proposal:

There is about 30 years of history reflected, sometimes poorly, in the status field describing IPv4 and IPv6 resources in the database. This proposal seeks to simplify and harmonise the contents of the status field between IPv4 and IPv6 and limits the field to what has operational relevance, and removes any implied contractual relationship from the status field itself. (Remnants of) address policy define a very rigid model for the RIPE NCC to follow for the structure of its membership, mostly based on rules about the distribution of IPv4. If we want to give the RIPE NCC membership room to evolve its membership structure based on today’s reality we need a clean break with policy and a database that no longer prescribes the RIPE NCC membership model, but rather allows it to accurately reflect reality.

Policy text:  
a. Current policy text (if modification)

RIPE-826 \- IPv4 Address Allocation and Assignment Policies for the RIPE NCC Service Region:

5.3 Sub-allocations  
Sub-allocations are intended to aid the goal of routing aggregation and can only be made from allocations with a status of "ALLOCATED PA". LIRs holding "ALLOCATED PI" or "ALLOCATED UNSPECIFIED" allocations may be able to convert them to PA allocations if there are no ASSIGNED PI networks within it. The meanings of the various "status:" attribute values are described in Section 7.0.

LIRs may make sub-allocations to multiple downstream network operators.

The LIR is contractually responsible for ensuring the address space allocated to it is used in accordance with the RIPE community's policies. It is recommended that LIRs have contracts requiring downstream network operators to follow the RIPE community's policies when those operators have sub-allocations.

Sub-allocations form part of an LIR's aggregatable address space. As such, an LIR may want to ensure that the address space is not retained by a downstream network if the downstream network operator ceases to receive connectivity from the LIR's network. LIRs not wishing to lose address space in this way are responsible for ensuring that the status of the sub-allocation is clear in any contracts between the LIR and the downstream network operator.

7.0 Types of Address Space  
LIRs are allocated Provider Aggregatable (PA) address space. They sub-allocate and assign this to downstream networks. If a downstream network or End User changes its service provider, the address space assigned or sub-allocated by the previous service provider must be returned and the network renumbered.

Clear contractual arrangements are mandatory for PA space. End Users requesting PA space must be given this or a similar warning:

Assignment of this IP space is valid as long as the criteria for the original assignment are met and only for the duration of the service agreement between yourself and us. We have the right to reassign the address space to another user upon termination of this agreement or an agreed period thereafter. This means that you will have to re-configure the addresses of all equipment using this IP space if you continue to require global uniqueness of those addresses.

LIRs will register the type of any assigned address space using the "status:" attribute of the inetnum object in the RIPE Database. The possible values of this attribute are:

ALLOCATED PA: This address space has been allocated to an LIR and no assignments or sub-allocations made from it are portable. Assignments and sub-allocations cannot be kept when moving to another provider.  
ALLOCATED UNSPECIFIED: This address space has been allocated to the RIPE NCC or other RIRs for further distribution. If the address space is administered by the RIPE NCC, more specific objects with other values may exist.  
ALLOCATED-ASSIGNED PA: This address space has been allocated to an LIR and entirely assigned to the LIR infrastructure or for use by an End User with services provided by the issuing LIR. It cannot be kept when terminating services provided by the LIR.  
SUB-ALLOCATED PA: This address space has been sub-allocated by an LIR to a downstream network operator that will make assignments from it. All assignments made from it are PA. They cannot be kept when moving to a service provided by another provider.  
LIR-PARTITIONED PA: This allows an LIR to document distribution and delegate management of allocated space within their organisation. Address space with a status of LIR-PARTITIONED is not considered used. When the addresses are used, a more specific inetnum must be registered.  
LEGACY: This indicates the Internet number resource was obtained prior to or otherwise outside the current system of hierarchical distribution (by allocation or assignment) through the Regional Internet Registries.  
ASSIGNED PA: This address space has been assigned to the issuing LIR infrastructure or an End User for use with services provided by the issuing LIR. It cannot be kept when terminating services provided by the LIR.  
AGGREGATED-BY-LIR: This address space has been assigned to different parts of the issuing LIR infrastructure or to End Users for use with services provided by the issuing LIR. The purpose and the contact details must be consistent throughout the whole assignment. It cannot be kept when terminating services provided by the LIR.  
ASSIGNED PI: This address space has been assigned to an End User for a specific purpose. It cannot be used to make further assignments to other parties.  
ASSIGNED ANYCAST: This address space has been assigned for use in TLD anycast networks. It cannot be kept when no longer used for TLD anycast services.  
Registering an inetnum object with a status of “ALLOCATED-ASSIGNED PA” or "ASSIGNED PA" or "ASSIGNED PI" is only possible if there is no less specific or more specific inetnum object with an "ASSIGNED" status.

Address space without an explicit type in the "status:" attribute is assumed to be PI. LIRs must clearly mark all new assignments in the RIPE Database with either "PA" or "PI" as appropriate.

In the past, some LIRs assigned address space that was de facto aggregated but not formally PA because there were no clear contractual arrangements for termination of the assignment. LIRs must ask leaving customers to voluntarily release this address space upon termination of service. Where possible, LIRs should work to make contractual arrangements to convert PI addresses into PA addresses.

The RIPE NCC no longer allocates or assigns PI address space, except for assignments to Internet Exchange Points as described in section 6.1.

b. New policy text

RIPE-826 \- IPv4 Address Allocation and Assignment Policies for the RIPE NCC Service Region:

5.3 Sub-allocations