JPNIC Translated Document Source document: JPNIC REPORT 8 Date of the source: April 1994 Date of the last update of this translation: November 25, 1995 This is a translation of a JPNIC document. JPNIC provides this translation for convenience of those who can not read Japanese. But it may contain mis-translations, and is by no means official. One should consult the source document written in Japanese for detail. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- IP address allocation by providers Recently, the number of organizations connected to the Internet has exponentially increased worldwide. Due to that, the number of IP address that are to be allocated has also increased rapidly, and in near future the following problems have to be faced. 1. Run out of class B address space 2. Due to a rapid rise of the number entries in the router's routing table, there will be a shortage of hardware resources (memory of router etc.), and human resources for administrating the routing. 3. Exhaustion of the present 32 bit address space. The problem stated in 1 and 2 is likely to appear within a short period of time. For that IESG (Internet Engineering Steering Group) has agreed to adopt the CIDR (Caseless Inter-Domain Routing) [2] system until there is a basic solution (until the the IPng is decided and the operation of the same starts) for the problem mentioned in 3. In accordance to that the Address Space TaskForce of JEPG/IP (Japanese Engineer & Planning Group/IP) has been trying technical adjustment from all aspects in order to realize routing for the allocation of IP address under Japan. Keeping the idea of CIDR as a basis, JPNIC is allocating IP addresses within Japan [3,4]. Moreover, IP address allocation by service providers [1] that are to be explained here will allocate the possible CIDR addresses and facilitate the realization of hierarchical routing under CIDR [5]. At first JPNIC will allocate the sequential IP address blocks that corresponds to CIDR to its each member network. This is to allocate IP address to the network organizations (including the networks that are already connected) that are connected to the member network. Based on these, it will appoint the member network for allocating address to the networks that are included in the members address block. Pilot project As a first step to realize this system, JPNIC has started a pilot project. This project is to investigate the applicability of the allocation system, the scope of the organizations that are to be appointed and a part of the allocation system explained above is to be realized. The participants of this pilot project are two member networks of JPNIC and they are IIJ Internet which is operated by Internet Initiative Japan Inc. and the SPIN project which is operated by AT&T Jens. (As of 4/1994) The objective of appointing the above 2 members is just to find out the drawbacks of the allocation system, and the operation based on CIDR. However, although the period is small, sparing of the limited IP address space is not a welcoming idea. For that JPNIC has stressed on the following three points for selecting the partners. o outstanding achievements o perform allocation within the project period o prompt correspondence to all sorts of problems The member networks who could not take part in this project would be able to utilize the facility of allocation based on these system in future. The outline of the pilot project (from now on it will be abbreviated as project), scope of the IP address allocation by the participating members appointed by JPNIC and the problems that might have to be faced during the real allocation procedure is explained below. Duration The duration of the project is 6 months, and it is from 1/11/93 to 30/4/94. The JPNIC steering committee will report the allocation status of the participating networks, consider and reinvestigate the problems that are clear through the progress of the project and decide a mechanism for the future IP address allocation by the end of this project. If the JPNIC steering committee finds it necessary, then the system explained below might change even if it happens during the project. In that case JPNIC will inform the participating networks immediately. The IP addresses allocated during the period will be considered as formal allocation and they will be valid even after the project is over. However the participating networks can not allocate IP addresses to the organizations that are not connected to the participating networks. Allocation of address block JPNIC will allocate address blocks to the participating networks. The blocks will have 256 continuous class C addresses (from now on it will be referred as 1 block) so that they can be used for CIDR. JPNIC will allocate one independent block to each participating member as soon as they join the project. After that, the allocation to the organizations connected to the participating networks has to be performed from the address block allocated to the network. The participating members can apply to JPNIC for additional address blocks, if the remaining address space of the allocated address block gets too small. Procedure for address allocation In this project, the participating networks charged with two tasks -one is examinations of IP address application within 2 class C for organizations that will be connected to the networks, and the other is to allocate IP addresses within address-blocks that were assigned to the networks. Allocation to organizations that are not connected to the participating networks is never accepted. The participating networks will screen the applications based on the prescribed criterion. Although this criterion (technical guide for obtaining IP address) is documented in [4], it should be noted that the number of already obtained IP address will also become a subject of the screening. Allocation can not be performed by judging only the type of the fresh application and the number of address. However, in order to slow down the routing information, following rules are to be considered for exceptions [1]. (If the organization which has already obtained IP addresses use the same within the organization and does not announce the routing information to the Internet through the provider from whom the addresses were obtained, then the organization will be allowed to obtain c1 addresses irrespective of the number of addresses it has already obtained. In case of changing a provider, these addresses has to be returned and new addresses have to be reobtained from another provider. In case of returning the previously obtained address, the allocation will be processed in the normal way.) That is, instead of waiting for the judgement from JPNIC, the service provider will sum up the number of previously obtained addresses and the number of addresses applied for, compare it with the criterion given in [4], and allocate address within the scope of 2 * class C. Which means that there are two cases, one is the case where 1 or 2 class C could be allocated to the organization which has not obtained any address previously and the case where the organization has already obtained 1 class C address and in that case another class C address is allocable. Therefore, the service provider must refer to the JPNIC database and confirm the type and the number of address already obtained by the organization. Now, for the latter case, if the already obtained addresses are not serial which is necessary for the newly allocable CIDR address, then serial addresses can be obtained by returning the previously obtained addresses. After the screening, if it is decided that C * 2 number of addresses is allocable and the applicant agrees, then IP addresses can be allotted from the address block that has been already obtained from JPNIC. For all the other cases, JPNIC will screen the application in the conventional way and if the allocable address includes class C then the number of the same will be informed. Organizations which still do not have an IP address and want to connect to the Internet, should consult the technical contact of that network irrespective of the case whether the network is participating in the project or not. The technology for the construction of IP network is improving day by day. Methods for constructing networks by using multiple class C address is already in practice. It is recommended to seek advice from experts regarding this matter. (Shin Yoshimura, IIJ) [REFERENCES] [1] JPNIC, [Guide related to IP address allocation by member networks of JPNIC] October.1993 [2]V.Fuller,et al.,Classless Inter-Domain Routing(CIDR):an Address Assignment and Aggregation Strategy,RFC1519,Sept.1993 [3]E.Gerich,Guidelines for Management of IP Address Space,RFC1466, 　May.1993 [4]JEPG/IP,Address Space TaskForce,[Technical guide for obtaining IP address] February.1993 [5]Y.Rekhter,et al.,An Architecture for IP Address Allocation with CIDR,RFC1518,Sept.1993