Summary

This proposal allows extending the current mechanism for intra-RIR IPv4 address transfers to allow transferring resources between different regions and to align LACNIC with an existing market in which the region is lagging, something we consider to be negative for the region.

Rationale (Describe the problem you intend to solve)

In recent years and with the exhaustion of IPv4, several regions have solved this problem by allowing not only intra-regional transfers but also transfers between different regions. This allows for market dynamics, as an increased offer reduces prices.

However, an inter-RIR mechanism has not been established for LACNIC, and this is leading the region to a situation of discrimination and address scarcity, not only within the RIR itself, but also in the regional market. This the lack of addresses can even make it difficult to establish new businesses in the region.

Likewise, the lack of an inter-RIR transfer policy does not prevent “under-the-table” transfers and, therefore, involves the loss of certain resources’ registration history, the main function of an RIR.

This proposal considers that such transfers should be allowed for all types of IPv4 resources. In the case of legacy resources, this has the advantage of allowing these resources to surface and incorporating them into the RIR system.

In addition, it is important to highlight that, in certain cases, IPv6 deployment may require small blocks of IPv4 addresses for their use by transition mechanisms or significantly increase their cost if such blocks are not available, so many organizations in the LACNIC region might be at a serious disadvantage if they do not have access to the global market, as is currently the case.

Accepting this type of transfers is certainly not without risks. It is possible that an initial price increase might occur, but this would quickly align with the global market, as is usually the case with equivalent markets.

Current text

2.3.2.18.- Transfer of IPv4 Blocks within the LACNIC Region
IPv4 block transfers shall be allowed between LIRs and/or End Users within the LACNIC region (hereinafter organizations) in accordance with the conditions set forth in this section.

2.3.2.18.1.- The minimum block size that may be transferred is a /24.

2.3.2.18.2.- In order for an organization to qualify for receiving a transfer, it must first go through the process of justifying its IPv4 resource needs before LACNIC. That is to say, the organization must justify before LACNIC the initial/additional allocation/assignment, as applicable, according to
the policies in force.

2.3.2.18.3.- Upon receiving an IPv4 address block transfer request, LACNIC shall verify that the organization transferring the block is in fact the holder of said block according to LACNIC's
records. The approved applicant and the organization transferring the resources must present before LACNIC a copy of the legal document supporting the transfer.

2.3.2.18.4.- LACNIC shall maintain a publicly accessible transfer log of all IPv4 address block transfers registered before LACNIC. Said log shall specify the date on which each transaction
took place, the organization from which the transfer originated, the receiving organization, and the block that was transferred.

2.3.2.18.5.- The organization that originated the transfer shall automatically be ineligible to receive IPv4 resource allocations and/or assignments from LACNIC for a period of one year as of the transaction date registered in the transfer log.

2.3.2.18.6.- A block that has previously been transferred may not subsequently be transferred again for a period of one year as of the transaction date registered in the transfer log. The same applies to its sub-blocks, which are blocks that group a subset of the IPv4 addresses contained in the block.

2.3.2.18.7.- Once the transfer is complete, LACNIC shall modify the information on the transferred resource in order to reflect the change of holder.

2.3.2.18.8.- The receiving organization must comply with all LACNIC policies in force.

2.3.2.18.9.- Blocks and their sub-blocks from allocations or assignments from LACNIC, being initial or additional, cannot be transferred for a period of one year as of the allocation or assignment date.

2.3.2.18.10.- Transferred legacy resources will no longer be considered legacy resources.

New text
Analyze diff

2.3.2.18.- IPv4 address transfers

IPv4 block transfers shall be allowed between LIRs and/or End Users (hereinafter organizations) in accordance with the conditions set forth in this section.

This policy applies both to transfers where one of the organizations involved is part of another region (inter-RIR transfers) as well as to transfers within the LACNIC region (intra-RIR transfers).

2.3.2.18.1.- The minimum block size that may be transferred is a /24.

2.3.2.18.2.- In order for an organization within the LACNIC region to qualify for receiving a transfer, it must first go through the process of justifying its IPv4 resources before LACNIC. That is to say, the organization must justify before LACNIC the initial/additional allocation/assignment, as applicable, according to
the policies in force.

If the receiving organization is part of another region, it will be subject to the criteria, verifications and requirements of the corresponding RIR.

2.3.2.18.3.- LACNIC or the corresponding RIR (depending on whether the transfer is inbound or outbound) will verify the holder of the resources to be transferred and check that they are not involved in any dispute.

In the case of intra-RIR transfers, both organizations must submit to LACNIC a signed copy of the legal document supporting the transfer.

In the case of inter-RIR transfers, the documentation supporting the operation will be agreed between the two RIRs.

2.3.2.18.4.- LACNIC shall maintain a publicly accessible transfer log of all IPv4 address block transfers registered before LACNIC. This log will be used to record the date on which the transaction took place, the organization that originated the transfer, the receiving organization, the transferred addresses and, in the case of inter-RIR transfers, the source and destination RIRs.

2.3.2.18.5.- The organization that originated the transfer shall automatically be ineligible to receive IPv4 resource allocations and/or assignments from LACNIC for a period of one year as of the transaction date registered in the transfer log.

2.3.2.18.6.- Addresses that have previously been transferred may not subsequently be transferred again (in full or in part) for a period of one year as of the transaction date specified in the transfer log.

2.3.2.18.7.- Once the transfer is complete, LACNIC shall modify the information on the transferred resource in order to reflect the change of holder.

2.3.2.18.8.- Both the transferring and the receiving organizations will be subject to the policies and membership terms and conditions of the corresponding RIR.

2.3.2.18.9.- Addresses from allocations or assignments from LACNIC, whether initial or additional, may not be transferred (in full or in part) for a period of one year as of the allocation or assignment date.

2.3.2.18.10.- Legacy resources transferred into the LACNIC region will no longer be considered legacy resources.

Additional information

This proposal does not modify any aspect of the existing policy on intra-RIR transfers. Instead, it proposes adjusting the wording to combine the two types of transfers (intra-RIR and inter-RIR transfers) into the same section.

According to LACNIC and based on conversations with the other RIRs, this proposal would allow bidirectional transfers with APNIC, ARIN and RIPE.

AfriNIC does not have an inter-RIR transfer policy, although a proposal has been submitted by one of the co-authors of this policy proposal.

The only difference between this policy proposal and LAC-2018-14 is that the latter includes a restriction which only allows inter-RIR transfers of legacy resources. Therefore, if both proposals achieve consensus, regardless of whether they reach consensus at the same or at different times, the text of this proposal would automatically prevail.

Timetable

Immediate implementation

References

There are inter-RIR transfer policies in place in APNIC, ARIN and RIPE. These have widely proven their efficiency and have not created any issues for their respective communities, quite the contrary.

ARIN appears to be the region where the transfer of the largest number of addresses to the other regions that have resource transfer policies have originated.
• https://www.nro.net/wp-content/uploads/NRO-Statistics-2018-Q4.pdf
• http://www.lacnic.net/innovaportal/file/3277/1/2-john-sweeting-arin.pdf

Presented at:

LACNIC 32 (06/10/2019)