Policies: IP Addresses Policy


Page Title: Policies: IP Addresses Policy Page Address: http://www.merit.edu/policies/ip_addresses.php

IP Addresses Policy

August 8, 2003

Background

Merit has received a sizeable number of Internet addresses from the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) for the purpose of redistributing these addresses to Merit Members and Affiliates that are connected to Merit's network.

These addresses are on loan from ARIN, and any redistribution from Merit to its Members and Affiliates should also be considered a loan.

In general, Internet addresses are a limited resource; they should be used judiciously and sparingly. Merit urges users of any Internet addresses to use as few addresses as possible, and to aggregate whatever addresses that are used into routable blocks as large as possible, recognizing that these two goals are often at odds.

The guidelines for address acquisition presented here are not intended to impede or prevent Merit Members and Affiliates from acquiring the addresses they need, but to guarantee available resources for all Merit users.

Requesting Internet Addresses

Requests for Internet addresses should be accompanied by a six-month networking plan from the Merit Member or Affiliate making the request. Recommended information for a networking plan would include:

the number of hosts
the number of serial links
the number of LANs
the types of equipment
dates of projected implementation/deployment for each of the above
topology maps

Such information is needed for each point of attachment to Merit's network.

Sites where fewer than 200 addresses are needed do not require a networking planning. Instead, a six-month address utilization projection for the site should be provided.

Requests of 200 to 2000 addresses for a single site must be accompanied by a written routing plan, including the projected utilization over six months time.

Requests for more than 2000 addresses require a conference with Merit Engineering to discuss the written networking plan and its implementation.

Conferences with Merit Engineering will also be required in instances of complicated routing and multiple attachments to Merit's network, even when smaller address spaces are requested.

Agreement on a networking plan will result in address space distribution and routing announcement.

Requests for Additional Addresses

Every request for additional addresses requires a written networking plan and an assessment of the utilization of addresses currently held. Additional distributions will be made based on these criteria of planned need and current utilization.

Review of Address Utilization

The utilization of addresses received from Merit will be periodically reviewed. Merit may request the return of addresses that remain unused for a significant period of time (a year or longer).

Network Service Providers

Merit Affiliates who are Network Service Providers (NSPs) should apply to Merit for addresses for their clients; a networking plan for each client should accompany each request.

New Affiliates with Their Own Internet Addresses from ARIN

Merit favors the utilization of addresses from the Merit space. Merit recommends that new Affiliates with a block of addresses smaller than a /19 return the block to ARIN and obtain addresses from the Merit space in exchange.