RFC 1627 (rfc1627) - Page 2 of 8

Network 10 Considered Harmful (Some Practices Shouldn't be Codified)

RFC 1627             Network 10 Considered Harmful             July 1994


   using random or default addresses found on computers just out of the
   box.  RFC 1597 abrogates this model without benefit of general IETF
   community discussion and consensus, leaving policy and operational
   questions unasked and unanswered.

KEEP OUR EYES ON THE PRIZE:  AN ARCHITECTURAL GOAL AND VIOLATION

   A common -- if not universal -- ideal for the future of IP is for
   every system to be globally accessible, given the proper security
   mechanisms.  Whether such systems comprise toasters, light switches,
   utility power poles, field medical equipment, or the classic examples
   of "computers", our current model of assignment is to ensure that
   they can interoperate.

   In order for such a model to work there must exist a globally unique
   addressing system.  A common complaint throughout the community is
   that the existing security in host software does not allow for every
   (or even many) hosts in a corporate environment to have direct IP
   access.  When this problem is addressed through proper privacy and
   authentication standards, non-unique IP addresses will become a
   bottleneck to easy deployment if the recommendations in RFC 1597 are
   followed.

   The IP version 4 (IPv4) address space will be exhausted.  The
   question is simply:  when?

   If we assert that all IP addresses must be unique globally, connected
   or not, then we will run out of IP address space soon.

   If we assert that only IP addresses used on the world-wide Internet
   need to be globally unique, then we will run out of IP address space
   later.

   It is absolutely key to keep the Internet community's attention
   focused on the efforts toward IP next generation (IPng), so that we
   may transcend the limitations of IPv4.  RFC 1597 produces apparent
   relief from IPv4 address space exhaustion by masking those networks
   that are not connecting to the Internet, today.  However, this
   apparent relief will likely produce two results: complacency on the
   large part of the community that does not take the long term view,
   and a very sudden IP address space exhaustion at some later date.

   Prior to IPng deployment, it is important to preserve all the
   semantics that make both the Internet and Internet technology so very
   valuable for interoperability.  Apple Computer, IBM, and Motorola
   could not collaborate as easily as they have to produce the PowerPC
   without uniquely assigned IP addresses. The same can be said of the
   Silicon Graphics merger with MIPS. There are many, many more examples



Lear, Fair, Crocker & Kessler