It’s Time To Let Go Of IPv4

In the past, the RIR would offer enough addresses to cover that organisation’s needs for around two years. However, as stocks of IPv4 addresses started to run low, the RIRs started reducing the number of IPv4 addresses they gave out in one go.

“What we are currently discussing and starting to implement is a policy that reduces the size of allocations over time,” said Pawlik. “So, you used to come to us with a request for a year’s allocation of IPv4 addresses, but this has now reduced to half a year’s worth. As we go down the line, this will reduce to 3 months’ worth of IPv4 addresses.

“So you get addresses, but you don’t get a large block. You get a smaller block, and you’ve got to live with that. And then next time when you come back to us, maybe you get only a month’s worth, depending on how extreme it gets in the end,” he said. “That gives everybody a chance over the whole timeline to get some resources. But everybody suffers the same to some degree.”

IPv4 black market?

It has also been suggested by ISOC that the eventual shortage of IPv4 could lead to the creation of a second-hand market for IP addresses. “Of course there will always be companies or individuals who will be ready to resell IPv4 addresses to you for a fee,” said Olivier MJ Crepin-Leblond of ISOC England.

According to Pawlik, however, there is nothing necessarily wrong with this. “There are ideas out there that an address might be worth $4 on the market. But what is that market? The only concern that we have as RIRs is that addresses are given out according to need,” he said.

“Transfers – that would allow company A to give addresses to company B – there’s nothing really wrong with that as long as company B really needs them. And whether company B incentivises this transfer by offering a lot of money to company B, that’s their deal, nothing to do with Ripe NCC.

“The only thing that we are very concerned with is that we know about the transfer, that our databases are correct and up to date. As long as that happens, we have no opposition to any such transfers. And whether that is done on the market for money – OK, that is something new that we’re not necessarily used to, but it’s not inherently wrong.

“On the other hand we always stand there shouting in the maketplace: guys, IPv6 is ready. You don’t need all those Ipv4 addresses any more. Just go to IPv6 and then the thing is solved,” he said.