RFC 2071 (rfc2071) - Page 3 of 14
Network Renumbering Overview: Why would I want it and what is it anyway?
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
RFC 2071 Network Renumbering Overview January 1997
can help automate the assignment and maintenance of host names, as
well as the 'borrowed' addresses required for routing-level
connectivity.
The PIER Working Group is developing procedures and guidelines for
detailed renumbering of specific technologies, such as routers [6].
PIER WG documents are intended to suggest methods both for making
existing networks prepared for convenient renumbering, as well as for
operational transition to new addressing schemes.
Also, in many instances, organizations who have never connected to
the Internet, yet have been using arbitrary blocks of addresses since
their construction, have different and unique challenges.
3. Network Renumbering Defined
In the simplest of definitions, the exercise of renumbering a network
consists of changing the IP host addresses, and perhaps the network
mask, of each device within the network that has an address
associated with it. This activity may or may not consist of all
networks within a particular domain, such as FOO.EDU, or networks
which comprise an entire autonomous system.
Devices which may need to be renumbered, for example, are networked
PC's, workstations, printers, file servers, terminal servers, and
routers. Renumbering a network may involve changing host parameters
and configuration files which contain IP addresses, such as
configuration files which contain addresses of DNS and other servers,
addresses contained in SNMP [7] management stations, and addresses
configured in access control lists. While this is not an all-
inclusive list, the PIER working group is making efforts to compile
documentation to identify these devices in a more detailed fashion.
Network renumbering need not be sudden activity, either; in most
instances, an organization's upstream service provider(s) will allow
a grace period where both the "old" addresses and the "new" addresses
may be used in parallel.
4. Reasons for Renumbering
The following sections discuss particular reasons which may
precipitate network renumbering, and are not presented in any
particular order of precedence. They are grouped into reasons that
primarily reflect decisions made in the past, operational
requirements of the present, or plans for the future.
Ferguson & Berkowitz Informational