BBC does IPv6 ;) (Was: large multi-site enterprises and PI prefix [Re: who gets a /32)

Sat Nov 27 08:31:17 UTC 2004

On Fri, 26 Nov 2004, Fred Baker wrote:
> So here's my proposal. If you qualify for an AS number (have a reasonable 
> business plan, clueful IT staff, and a certain number of ISPs one connects 
> with), you should also be able to be a PI prefix.
>
> And if you don't qualify for that, you should probably go provider-dependent.

Getting an AS number is too easy, and the resource is depleting fast.

If we went down that path, we'd have to make getting AS numbers more 
difficult than it is.  But this is a challenge, because revoking them 
from the current users is not doable, and folks would bring up the 
fairness argument ("ASxxxx is in the same situation as we are, and 
they have a number; why couldn't we have one as well?").

Thus, it's easier to just stick to the IPv6 address allocation 
policies, because even if there are a couple of instances of end-sites 
having obtained a /32, it's still only a few, not tens of thousands as 
with AS numbers, and the fairness argument doesn't apply.

-- 
Pekka Savola                 "You each name yourselves king, yet the
Netcore Oy                    kingdom bleeds."
Systems. Networks. Security. -- George R.R. Martin: A Clash of Kings