Section 0: Principles and Goals of this Regional Internet Registry

0.1 Uniqueness

It is this registry's purpose to document Internet number resource allocation, reallocation, assignment, and reassignment for use on an Internet. This registry does not provide numbers for use solely inside a single organization's internal network. This registry does not set practices or policy for shared uses of unicast or non-unicast numbers. Organizations requiring such numbers are encouraged to visit RFC 1918 and the IETF.

Unique registration is necessary to the successful technical operation of any Internet. The registry's process must guarantee that no two organizations are correctly using the same unicast network address on the Internet.

0.2 Sustainability

The registry is charged with providing number resources for the entire lifespan of the protocols which use those number resources. Registry policy must provide for the availability of number resources for then-reasonable use via the registry through every phase of a protocol's widespread use.

0.2.1 Early Phase

A protocol's early phase starts with the registry taking responsibility for a protocol's number resources. The phase continues until the proportion of the protocol's use leads all similar protocols on the public Internet. During the early phase, priority is placed on getting out of the users' way. The registry must studiously avoid policies and practices which even mildly impair the protocol's adoption.

While conservation is a distant concern, care should be taken to avoid allocating more than 20% of a protocol's usable number resources prior to the mainline phase.

0.2.2 Mainline Phase

A protocol's main line phase starts when the protocol's use first pulls ahead of the similar protocols in proportion of use on the public Internet. The phase continues until more than 90% of the usable number resources have been allocated or otherwise reserved. During the main line phase, conservation becomes a growing consideration. Conservation efforts should endeavor to prevent the occurrence of a zero sum phase by slowing resource consumption to a level where 90% allocation will not be achieved prior to the protocol's obsolescence.

0.2.3 Zero Sum Phase

A protocol's zero sum phase begins once most of the usable number resources have been allocated. During the zero sum phase, registry policies must facilitate the movement and if necessary cause number resources to move from underutilized applications to more efficitve uses. The registry must not abdicate its responsibility to ensure the continued availability of number resources to the third parties to whom it previously allocated those resources.

0.3 Support Scalable Routing

Policies for managing Internet number resources must facilitate scalable routing. This scalability is necessary to ensure continued operation of the Internet.

We observe that the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) has been the core routing technology in use on the Internet since ARIN's inception with no end in sight. BGP scalability is achieved only by announcing CIDR aggregates of downstream customer routes which are as large as possible.

0.3.1 ARIN does not set Internet Routing Policy

While ARIN number policy is informed by current routing technologies and routing policy choices made by Internet Service Provides, ARIN does not make policies about how routing must or must not be done. Allocation or assignment of addresses by ARIN in no way guarantees that those addresses will be routeable on the public Internet.

0.4 Fairness

This registry supports the concept of equal access for all. The phased nature of sustaining a protocol's existence and the need to support scalable routing necessarily introduce some fundamental unfairness into the registry's policies and processes. Where not documentably necessary to achieving those principles, registry practices which could reasonably be interpreted as favoring one registrant over another due to size, the nature of the registrant or his business, location within the service territory or similar factors is to be avoided.

0.5 Cooperation

Where reasonable and equitable the registry should cooperate with its sister registries in other service territories and seek consistent, uniform practices across the world.

0.6 Stewardship & Conflict of Goals

Where these principles conflict, priority should go first to uniqueness and then sustainability.