Rectifying the size of initial allocations

LAC-2017-1-v1 LAC-2017-1-v2 Vs
References:
New
Deleted
Modified
Authors

Name: Jordi Palet Martinez
Email: jordi.palet@consulintel.es
Organization: Consulintel

Name: Jordi Palet Martinez
Email: jordi.palet@consulintel.es
Organization: Consulintel

Summary

Because it is so easy to request an initial block with the default size of /32, ISPs often do not create a proper addres
sing plan before requesting the proper prefix for the long-term deployment of their IPv6 network.
As a result, there are many cases —and quite possibly the number of such cases will increase in the coming months— where
the ISP will be forced to return the prefix they originally received from LACNIC, submit a new initial request, and ren
umber their existing deployment.
This typically happens in the early stages of IPv6 deployment, when a serious, long-term addressing plan is prepared, ev
en though there might have been an initial deployment of IPv6 in part of the network, such as pilot projects, initial te
sting, etc. However, this situation can also present itself in more advanced stages of deployment, where obviously the i
dea is to complete the deployment without restrictions, renumbering, or serious changes to the addressing plan.
This could also be the case where the initial allocation occurred many years ago, at a time when it was free and easy to
simply "request" an IPv6 prefix, without any requirements regarding the deployment and the addressing plan. Several yea
rs may have gone by and the size of the network may have changed substantially, technical knowledge on how to use IPv6 h
as evolved, there are new technologies based on IPv6 (IoT, Smart Cities, ...), etc.

Historically, the process for requesting the default initial IPv6 assignment (/32 block) was very easy and, because many
people were used thinking "the IPv4 way," they believed this would be large enough for their networks.
For this reason, many ISPs don't prepare a proper addressing plan before requesting the proper prefix for the long-term
deployment of their IPv6 network.
As a result, there are many cases —and quite possibly the number of such cases will increase in the coming months— where
, as a result of the policy currently in force, the ISP will be forced to return the prefix initially they originally re
ceived to LACNIC, submit a new initial request, and renumber their existing deployment.
This is typically the case in the early stages of IPv6 deployment, when a serious, long-term addressing plan is prepared
, even though there might have been an initial deployment of IPv6 in part of the network, such as the core, pilot projec
ts, initial testing, etc. However, this situation can also present itself in more advanced stages of deployment, where o
bviously the idea is to complete the deployment without restrictions, renumbering, or serious changes to the addressing
plan.
This could also be the case where the initial allocation occurred many years ago, at the time when it was free and easy
to simply "request" an IPv6 prefix, without any study of the deployment and addressing plan. Several years may have gone
by and the size of the network may have changed substantially, technical knowledge on how to use IPv6 has evolved, ther
e are new technologies based on IPv6 (IoT, Smart Cities, ...), etc.

Rationale (Describe the problem you intend to solve)

This proposal seeks to avoid unnecessary work for both parties: the ISP, who would be forced to renumber, and LACNIC sta
ff, who in any case would have to evaluate the new request and also provide a new prefix. This might lead to a situation
where, instead of preparing a proper numbering plan, an ISP might wish to avoid it by adjusting the size of the prefix
it delivers to its customers, which would undoubtedly affect the proper deployment of IPv6 in the medium to long term.
The current procedure is based on section 4.5.2.4 of the Policy Manual.
The proposal therefore seeks to eliminate section 4.5.2.4 and, instead, simplify the process, eliminating the need for r
enumbering, except in those (probably infrequent) cases where inter-assignment space does not allow assigning the new si
ze requested with the same prefix.

This proposal seeks to avoid unnecessary work for both parties: the ISP, who would be forced to renumber, and LACNIC sta
ff, who in any case would have to evaluate the new request and also provide a new prefix.
This is leading to a situation where, instead of preparing a proper numbering plan, an ISP may wish to avoid it by adjus
ting the size of the prefix it provides to its customers, which undoubtedly affects the proper deployment of IPv6 in the
medium to long term.
The current procedure is based on section 4.5.2.4 of the Policy Manual.
This proposal therefore seeks to eliminate section 4.5.2.4, and, instead, simplify the process, eliminating the need for
renumbering, except in those (probably infrequent) cases where inter-assignment space does not allow assigning the new
requested size with the same prefix.

Current text

Eliminate Section 4.5.2.4.
New text:
4.5.1.4. Rectifying the size of initial allocations.
During IPv6 deployment, if an organization finds that the size of the initial allocation it requested no longer satisfie
s its needs, the organization may submit a new addressing plan to LACNIC, without having to wait until it can fulfill th
e requirements for a subsequent allocation, and therefore the organization will not have to prove utilization thresholds
, but, instead, the desire to apply a different addressing plan that is better suited to the reality of the deployment.
The new size will be adjusted according to the new addressing plan as specified in section 4.5.1.3, and will thus qualif
y for extending the current prefix the necessary number of bits.
If it were not possible to provide this prefix length because the adjacent space is already being used by another organi
zation, or if making the allocation would not leave sufficient space for subsequent allocations, LACNIC shall inform the
applicant, who may choose to:
a) receive a new prefix with the new requested size and renumber their network and return the "original" initial allocat
ion to LACNIC within 6 months, or
b) receive a complementary prefix to complete their addressing plan, and announce both the "original" initial prefix and
the new prefix resulting from the new allocation. For all effects and purposes, in the case of subsequent allocations,
both allocations shall be considered as if they were a single allocation.
Each organization may only use this procedure once, so this time they should study the final medium and long term networ
k addressing plan carefully.

Eliminate Section 4.5.2.4.
New text:
4.5.1.4. Rectifying the size of initial allocations
During IPv6 deployment, if an organization finds that the size of the initial allocation it requested no longer satisfie
s its needs, the organization may submit a new addressing plan to LACNIC, without having to wait until it can fulfill th
e requirements for a subsequent allocation, and therefore the organization will not have to prove utilization thresholds
, but, instead the desire to apply a different addressing plan that is better suited to the reality of the deployment.
The new size will be adjusted according to the new addressing plan as specified in section 4.5.1.3., and will thus quali
fy for extending the current prefix the necessary number of bits.
If it were not possible to provide this prefix length because the adjacent space is already being used by another organi
zation, or if making the allocation would not leave sufficient space for subsequent allocations, LACNIC shall inform the
applicant, who may choose to:
a) receive a new prefix with the new requested size and renumber their network and return "original" initial allocation
to LACNIC within 6 months, or
b) receive a complementary prefix to complete their addressing plan, and announce both the "original" initial prefix and
the new prefix resulting from the new allocation. For all effects and purposes, in the case of subsequent allocations,
both allocations shall be considered as if they were a single allocation.
Each organization may only use this procedure once, so for this "second opportunity" they should carefully study the fin
al medium and long term network addressing plan.

New text

Eliminate Section 4.5.2.4.
New text:
4.5.1.4. Rectifying the size of initial allocations.
During IPv6 deployment, if an organization finds that the size of the initial allocation it requested no longer satisfie
s its needs, the organization may submit a new addressing plan to LACNIC, without having to wait until it can fulfill th
e requirements for a subsequent allocation, and therefore the organization will not have to prove utilization thresholds
, but, instead, the desire to apply a different addressing plan that is better suited to the reality of the deployment.
The new size will be adjusted according to the new addressing plan as specified in section 4.5.1.3, and will thus qualif
y for extending the current prefix the necessary number of bits.
If it were not possible to provide this prefix length because the adjacent space is already being used by another organi
zation, or if making the allocation would not leave sufficient space for subsequent allocations, LACNIC shall inform the
applicant, who may choose to:
a) receive a new prefix with the new requested size and renumber their network and return the "original" initial allocat
ion to LACNIC within 6 months, or
b) receive a complementary prefix to complete their addressing plan, and announce both the "original" initial prefix and
the new prefix resulting from the new allocation. For all effects and purposes, in the case of subsequent allocations,
both allocations shall be considered as if they were a single allocation.
Each organization may only use this procedure once, so this time they should study the final medium and long term networ
k addressing plan carefully.

Eliminate Section 4.5.2.4.
New text:
4.5.1.4. Rectifying the size of initial allocations
During IPv6 deployment, if an organization finds that the size of the initial allocation it requested no longer satisfie
s its needs, the organization may submit a new addressing plan to LACNIC, without having to wait until it can fulfill th
e requirements for a subsequent allocation, and therefore the organization will not have to prove utilization thresholds
, but, instead the desire to apply a different addressing plan that is better suited to the reality of the deployment.
The new size will be adjusted according to the new addressing plan as specified in section 4.5.1.3., and will thus quali
fy for extending the current prefix the necessary number of bits.
If it were not possible to provide this prefix length because the adjacent space is already being used by another organi
zation, or if making the allocation would not leave sufficient space for subsequent allocations, LACNIC shall inform the
applicant, who may choose to:
a) receive a new prefix with the new requested size and renumber their network and return "original" initial allocation
to LACNIC within 6 months, or
b) receive a complementary prefix to complete their addressing plan, and announce both the "original" initial prefix and
the new prefix resulting from the new allocation. For all effects and purposes, in the case of subsequent allocations,
both allocations shall be considered as if they were a single allocation.
Each organization may only use this procedure once, so for this "second opportunity" they should carefully study the fin
al medium and long term network addressing plan.

Additional information

None

-

References

-

-