RFC 1366 (rfc1366) - Page 1 of 8

Guidelines for Management of IP Address Space

Network Working Group                                          E. Gerich
Request for Comments: 1366                                         Merit
                                                            October 1992


             Guidelines for Management of IP Address Space

Status of this Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  It does
   not specify an Internet standard.  Distribution of this memo is
   unlimited.

Abstract

   This document has been reviewed by the Federal Engineering Task Force
   (FEPG) on behalf of the Federal Networking Council (FNC), the co-
   chairs of the International Engineering Planning Group (IEPG), and
   the Reseaux IP Europeens (RIPE).  There was general consensus by
   those groups to support the recommendations proposed in this document
   for management of the IP address space.

1.0  Introduction

   With the growth of the Internet and its increasing globalization,
   much thought has been given to the evolution of the network number
   allocation and assignment process. RFC 1174, "Identifier Assignment
   and Connected Status", dated August 1990 recommends that the Internet
   Registry (IR) continue as the principal registry for network numbers;
   however, the IR may allocate blocks of network numbers and the
   assignment of those numbers to qualified organizations.  The IR will
   serve as the default registry in cases where no delegated
   registration authority has been identified.

   The distribution of the registration function is desirable, and in
   keeping with that goal, it is necessary to develop a plan which
   manages the distribution of the network number space.  The demand for
   network numbers has grown significantly within the last two years and
   as a result the allocation of network numbers must be approached in a
   more systematic fashion.

   This document proposes a plan which will forward the implementation
   of RFC 1174 and which defines the allocation and assignment of the
   network number space.  There are three major topics to be addressed:

      1) Qualifications for Distributed Regional Registries

      2) Allocation of the Network Number Space by the Internet Registry



Gerich