[Appologies for multiple postings. I suggest to keep the discussion on <lir-wg@ripe.net> as it is related to address allocation policies]. Dear colleagues, The RIPE NCC received a number of requests from Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) for IPv6 address space. While evaluating these requests, we realised that it is still not entirely clear what the role of an IXP is in the IPv6 world. We also noticed that the allocation criteria currently described in the 'Provisional IPv6 Assignment and Allocation Policy Document' (http://www.ripe.net/ripe/docs/ripe-196.html) do not necessarily apply to IXPs. Please find some more details regarding this issue below. We would like to discuss this with you at the upcoming RIPE Meeting in Bologna. For more information abut the schedule, please refer to the agenda of the EIX-WG and the LIR-WG: http://www.ripe.net/ripe/meetings/current/ripe-39/ Kind Regards, Mirjam Kuehne RIPE NCC ------------ PROBLEM STATEMENT: - IXPs need independent address space for their infrastructure to allow their members/customers to connect via native IPv6 - IXPs do not necessarily fulfill the current criteria: - they do not have 40 customers (in most cases IXPs do not assign address space to their members) - if IXPs are on the 6bone, they might not have a whole pTLA, but only connect to the 6bone via another ISP - they do not need a whole subTLA (a /64 or /48, depending on the case, might be enough) POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS: 1. view IXPs as a site and assign them a /48 (or /64) directly (equivalent to IPv4 PI space) 2. require IXPs to fulfill the criteria and allocate a subTLA: - either by requiring them to get 6bone experience first - or by applying the general allocation criteria and require to connect to 3 other subTLA holders OPEN ISSUES: - what about IXPs with multiple PoPs - technical criteria for exchange points