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IP Address Public Policy

IP addresses are loaned to Verio from the Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) such as ARIN and RIPE. In turn, Verio lends those IP addresses to our customers for use while connected to the Verio network. The size of the IP address loan varies and is solely based on the continually demonstrated and documented need of the customer.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Guidelines for Customers
3. Documentation Required
4. Blank Documentation Forms
5. Completed Sample Documentation
6. References

I. Introduction

The Verio IP Address Policy has been created with guidance from various Request For Comments documents (RFCs) and the existing policies of the RIRs from which Verio obtains IP addresses. See www.arin.net/policy/nrpm.html#ipv4

Due to the dynamic nature of the internet, Verio reserves the right to change this document at any time without prior notice. Please check the Verio website for the latest version of this policy, as the latest version of the policy will supersede all others.

Verio distributes IP addresses with three goals in mind:

1. Conservation: The objective distribution of globally unique IP address space according to the operational needs of customers. Verio tries to prevent stockpiling in order to maximize the utilization of IP address space.
2. Routability: The distribution of globally unique IP address space in a hierarchical manner, which permits scalability in the internet routing table. The loan of IP address space by Verio does not guarantee routability, due to other ISPs routing policies.
3. Registration: Verio is required by ARIN (American Registry for Internet Numbers) to provide information on which entity is using the IP space. This information can be provided to ARIN either via SWIP or an RWhois server. Verio documents the loan of IP addresses to a customer via a publicly available Referral WHOIS (rwhois) server. If a customer is assigned static IP addresses, the customer information will be added to our RWhois server. This information includes: customer’s name, company name if a business, postal address, e-mail address, IP address, and telephone number.

Verio realizes that conservation and routability can be conflicting goals. Verio will review individual cases when there are conflicts to try to work out an appropriate compromise.

II. Guidelines for Customers

Verio has developed the following guidelines that will be applied to customer requests for IP address space:

1. IP addresses are loaned in blocks that conform to Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR) boundaries. Customers should use classless technologies and routing protocols that support variable length subnet mask (VLSM).
2. IP addresses are loaned for the duration of the customer’s connection to the Verio network and must be routed on the Verio network. In the event that the customer disconnects from the Verio network or stops routing the addresses on the Verio network, a 30 day grace period will be given for the customer to renumber out of their loaned IP address space.
3. In the event that a Verio customer (Customer A) acquires/merges/takesover another Verio customer (Customer B), the resulting customer of record will be required to renumber “Customer B” into IP address space assigned to “Customer A”. Should the resulting customer require additional space to accomodate this renumbering, they will need to complete an IPJ (documenting their address space utilization) for review and approval by Verio.
4. At any time, Verio may require a customer to justify its IP address loan. If the customer is unable to do so, its ability to obtain future loans may be jeopardized and its existing loan may be revoked.
5. IP addresses are loaned to customers using a “slow-start” process. New customers will receive a minimal loan based on their immediate requirement. Thereafter, the size of loaned IP address blocks may be increased based on the speed that the customer utilizes all previously loaned IP address blocks.
6. RIRs may set a maximum size of the IP address loan that Verio is allowed to make. If a customer requests an increase in loan size that is above the RIR size limit, the RIR reserves the right to review and approve the loan. The RIR may have different guidelines than Verio does for reviewing and approving the loan and the customer would be required to adhere to the RIR’s guidelines in this instance.
7. Due to the limited availability of IP (v4) address space, the practice of assigning a unique IP address per dialup user is discouraged.
8. When a customer requests an IP address space loan from Verio that will be used for IP-based web hosting, the customer will need to provide technical justification as to why they are providing IP-based web hosting instead of name-based web hosting. Verio is required to provide this information to the RIRs.

III. Documentation Required

Before Verio makes an IP address loan to a customer, the following documentation must be submitted by the customer. Verio will not begin the IP address loan process until all of the required documentation has been submitted. A sample set of documentation is provided at the end of this document.

1. Documentation of existing IP address space usage. This shows how any space the customer has is currently being used, along with projections for the next 3 and 6 months. This is most easily expressed on a RIPE “Current Address Space Usage Template”: https://whois.ntt.net/blank_forms.html#anchor248616
2. Documentation showing how the requested IP space will be used. This shows how the customer plans to use the space immediately, along with projections for the next 3 and 6 months. This is most easily expressed on a RIPE “Addressing Plan Template”: https://whois.ntt.net/blank_forms.html#anchor249013
3. A network topology map for all requests of 128 IP addresses (/25) or larger.
4. A description of the network routing plans, along with any protocols used and the protocol limitations.
5. For customers requesting space for web hosting, a list of IP addresses currently being used for web hosting, and a list of domains being hosted. If IP-based hosting is being done, a list of technical reasons why named-based hosting cannot be done must be included.

This information will be used by Verio ONLY to justify the loan of IP addresses to a customer. The information may also be given to the RIRs if they request it as part of reviewing their loans to Verio.

IV. Blank Documentation Forms

This link will take you to the blank documentation forms used to report both current and planned IP space usage.

V. Completed Sample Documentation

This link will take you to a completed sample set of documentation.

VI. References

[RFC 2050] Hubbard, K., Kosters, M., Conrad, D., Karrenberg, D., and Postel, J.,
“INTERNET REGISTRY IP ALLOCATION GUIDELINES“, November 1996.

www.arin.net/policy/ipv4.html
www.ripe.net/ripe/docs/iprequestform.html
www.ripe.net/ripe/docs/ipv4-policies.html