Clarifications of Sub-Assignments

LAC-2018-7-v4 LAC-2018-7-v5 Vs
References:
New
Deleted
Modified
Authors

Name: Jordi Palet Martinez
Email: jordi.palet@consulintel.es
Organization: The IPv6 Company

Name: Jordi Palet Martinez
Email: jordi.palet@consulintel.es
Organization: The IPv6 Company

Summary

The IPv4 policy on direct assignments by LACNIC to end users addresses sub-delegations (2.3.3.4) and specifically prohib
its sub-delegating to third parties.
The IPv6 policy contains no such explicit prohibition, except in the case of micro-assignments (LACNIC shall not make mi
cro-assignments, 4.5.5).
However, section 1.9 “Definitions” – which applies to all LACNIC policies – explicitly prohibits such assignments, stati
ng that “Assignments... are not to be sub-assigned to other parties.”
This proposal seeks to clarify the text of the IPv6 policy in this regard and better define the concept, particularly co
nsidering new uses for IPv6 (RFC 8273).
Finally, the proposal seeks to harmonize the spelling of certain terms formed with the prefixes “micro", “macro", “sub”
and others, specifically in the Spanish version of the Manual.

The IPv4 policy on direct assignments by LACNIC to end users addresses sub-delegations (2.3.3.4) and specifically prohib
its sub-delegating to third parties.
The IPv6 policy contains no such explicit prohibition, except in the case of micro-assignments (LACNIC shall not make mi
cro-assignments, 4.5.5).
However, section 1.9 “Definitions” – which applies to all LACNIC policies – explicitly prohibits such assignments, stati
ng that “Assignments... are not to be sub-assigned to other parties.”
This proposal seeks to clarify the text of the IPv6 policy in this regard and better define the concept, particularly co
nsidering new uses for IPv6 (RFC 8273).
It also clarifies that the use of sub-assignments for ISPs, datacenters and similar organizations is not allowed.
Finally, in Spanish, prefixes (e.g., sub, micro, etc.) should not be hyphenated. The policy Policy Manual, however, cont
ains cases where they are hyphenated and others where they are not. The proposal seeks to harmonize the Spanish spelling
of the Manual, removing all unnecessary hyphens.

Rationale (Describe the problem you intend to solve)

When the policy was designed, the concept of assignments/sub-assignments did not consider a practice that is very common
in IPv4 and that is replicated and even amplified in IPv6: the use of IP addresses for point-to-point links or VPNs.
In the case of IPv4, the use of NAT is widespread, so there are no implications. However, institutions not using NAT hav
e the same problem as in IPv6.
In the case of IPv6, instead of unique addresses, the use of unique prefixes (/64) is increasingly common.
Likewise, the policy failed to consider the use of IP addresses in hotspots, the use of IP addresses by guests or employ
ees (Bring Your Own Device, BYOD) and other similar cases.
Another example is the case of an end user who hires another company to provide certain services for which they must dep
loy their own devices, including their own servers, network equipment, etc. For example, a security surveillance service
might require their clients to provide their own cameras, their own recording systems, and even their own firewalls and
/or their own router for a dedicated VPN, etc. Of course, in many cases, this video surveillance system may require usin
g the end user's address space.
Finally, the IETF has recently approved the use of a unique /64 prefix per interface/host (RFC8273) instead of a unique
address. This, for example, allows users to connect to a hotspot, receive a /64 such that they are “isolated” from other
users (for reasons of security, regulatory requirements, etc.) and they can also use multiple virtual machines on their
devices with a unique address for each one (within the same /64).
In the Spanish version of the manual, words beginning with the prefixes “micro”, “macro”, “sub” and others are sometimes
spelled with a hyphen and others without. The idea is to try to harmonize the spelling of these words.

When the policy was designed, the concept of assignments/sub-assignments did not consider a practice that is very common
in IPv4 and that is replicated and even amplified in IPv6: the use of IP addresses for point-to-point links or VPNs.
In the case of IPv4, the use of NAT is widespread, so there are no implications. However, institutions not using NAT hav
e the same problem as in IPv6.
In the case of IPv6, instead of unique addresses, the use of unique prefixes (/64) is increasingly common.
Likewise, the policy failed to consider the use of IP addresses in hotspots (when these are not ISPs, e.g., when they ar
e associations or community networks), the use of IP addresses by guests or employees (Bring Your Own Device, BYOD), and
other similar cases.
Another example is the case of an end user who hires another company to provide certain services for which they must dep
loy their own devices, including their own servers, network equipment, etc. For example, a security surveillance service
might require their clients to provide their own cameras, their own recording systems, and even their own firewalls and
/or their own router for a dedicated VPN, etc. Of course, in many cases, this video surveillance system may require usi
ng the end user's address space.
Finally, the IETF has recently approved the use of a unique /64 prefix per interface/host (RFC8273) instead of a unique
address. This, for example, allows users to connect to a hotspot, receive a /64 such that they are “isolated” from other
users (for reasons of security, regulatory requirements, etc.) and they can also use multiple virtual machines on their
devices with a unique address for each one (within the same /64).
In addition, hyphenation of prefixes is used in parts of the Spanish version of the Manual (“-sub”, “-micro” and others)
. The idea is to harmonize the spelling.

Current text

Current text:
1.9 Assignments
To assign means to delegate address space to an end user, to be specifically used within the Internet infrastructure sai
d end user operates. Assignments must only be made for specific purposes documented by specific organizations, and are n
ot to be sub-assigned to other parties.
New text:
1.9 Assignments
To assign means to delegate address space to an end user, to be specifically used within the Internet infrastructure sai
d end user operates.
Point-to-point links, VPNs and the like are considered part of said infrastructure and, therefore, the assignment of add
resses to both endpoints of said link is allowed.
The assigned address space must only be used by the original recipient of the assignment, as well as for third-party dev
ices, as long as they are operating within the infrastructure of said original recipient.
Sub-assigning address space to other parties, for example, for broadband services, to be used in place of LIR/ISP space
is a sub-assignment and is therefore not allowed.
To avoid duplications and confusion, the last sentence of the first paragraph of section 2.3.3.4 is deleted. Assignments
to End Users:
“...but not for sub-delegation outside their organization.”
To avoid duplications and confusion, the last paragraph of section 4.5.5 is deleted. IPv6 Micro-Assignments:
“Organizations receiving micro-assignments shall not sub-assign these IP addresses.”
Likewise, LACNIC staff will harmonize the spelling of words beginning with the prefixes “micro”, “sub” or others through
out the Spanish version of the manual.

Current text:
1.9 Assignments
To assign means to delegate address space to an end user, to be specifically used within the Internet infrastructure sai
d end user operates. Assignments must only be made for specific purposes documented by specific organizations, and are n
ot to be sub-assigned to other parties.
New text:
1.9 Assignments
To assign means to delegate address space to an end user, to be exclusively used within the infrastructure operated by s
aid end user, as well as for interconnection purposes.
The assigned address space must only be used by the original recipient of the assignment, as well as for third-party dev
ices provided they are operating within said infrastructure.
Therefore, sub-assignments to third parties outside said infrastructure (for example, the use of end-user assignments fo
r ISPs or similar clients) and providing addresses to third parties in data centers (and others) are not allowed.
To avoid duplications and confusion, the last sentence of the first paragraph of section 2.3.3.4 (Assignments to End-Use
rs) is deleted: “...but not for sub-delegation outside their organization.”
To avoid duplications and confusion, the last paragraph of section 4.5.5 (Micro-Assignments in IPv6) is deleted: “Organi
zations receiving micro-assignments shall not sub-assign these IP addresses.”
Likewise, LACNIC staff will harmonize the spelling (hyphenation) of words beginning with the prefixes “micro”, “sub” and
others throughout the Spanish version of the manual.

New text

Current text:
1.9 Assignments
To assign means to delegate address space to an end user, to be specifically used within the Internet infrastructure sai
d end user operates. Assignments must only be made for specific purposes documented by specific organizations, and are n
ot to be sub-assigned to other parties.
New text:
1.9 Assignments
To assign means to delegate address space to an end user, to be specifically used within the Internet infrastructure sai
d end user operates.
Point-to-point links, VPNs and the like are considered part of said infrastructure and, therefore, the assignment of add
resses to both endpoints of said link is allowed.
The assigned address space must only be used by the original recipient of the assignment, as well as for third-party dev
ices, as long as they are operating within the infrastructure of said original recipient.
Sub-assigning address space to other parties, for example, for broadband services, to be used in place of LIR/ISP space
is a sub-assignment and is therefore not allowed.
To avoid duplications and confusion, the last sentence of the first paragraph of section 2.3.3.4 is deleted. Assignments
to End Users:
“...but not for sub-delegation outside their organization.”
To avoid duplications and confusion, the last paragraph of section 4.5.5 is deleted. IPv6 Micro-Assignments:
“Organizations receiving micro-assignments shall not sub-assign these IP addresses.”
Likewise, LACNIC staff will harmonize the spelling of words beginning with the prefixes “micro”, “sub” or others through
out the Spanish version of the manual.

Current text:
1.9 Assignments
To assign means to delegate address space to an end user, to be specifically used within the Internet infrastructure sai
d end user operates. Assignments must only be made for specific purposes documented by specific organizations, and are n
ot to be sub-assigned to other parties.
New text:
1.9 Assignments
To assign means to delegate address space to an end user, to be exclusively used within the infrastructure operated by s
aid end user, as well as for interconnection purposes.
The assigned address space must only be used by the original recipient of the assignment, as well as for third-party dev
ices provided they are operating within said infrastructure.
Therefore, sub-assignments to third parties outside said infrastructure (for example, the use of end-user assignments fo
r ISPs or similar clients) and providing addresses to third parties in data centers (and others) are not allowed.
To avoid duplications and confusion, the last sentence of the first paragraph of section 2.3.3.4 (Assignments to End-Use
rs) is deleted: “...but not for sub-delegation outside their organization.”
To avoid duplications and confusion, the last paragraph of section 4.5.5 (Micro-Assignments in IPv6) is deleted: “Organi
zations receiving micro-assignments shall not sub-assign these IP addresses.”
Likewise, LACNIC staff will harmonize the spelling (hyphenation) of words beginning with the prefixes “micro”, “sub” and
others throughout the Spanish version of the manual.

Additional information

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References

A similar proposal was discussed in the RIPE region and the change was approved, although there is no consensus regardin
g the changes specified in this proposal, as they are different.

A similar proposal was discussed in the RIPE region and the change was approved, although there is no consensus regardin
g the changes specified in this proposal, as the texts are different. However, a version equivalent to this proposal is
under discussion. Likewise, equivalent texts are being discussed in the AfrtiNIC and APNIC regions