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Guidelines - Requesting Additional IPv6 Allocations from ARIN

This is an overview of how to request and manage an additional allocation of IPv6 address space after receiving an initial allocation from ARIN.

Obtaining an Additional Allocation of IPv6 Address Space from ARIN

Step 1 - Requirements

Review ARIN's IPv6 policies to ensure your request meets the additional IPv6 allocation requirements. Requesting resources from ARIN indicates you have read and agree to abide by these policies.

As described in ARIN's IPv6 policies, organizations that can show efficient utilization of all previous allocations and space reassigned to their customers can request an additional direct allocation of IPv6 address space from ARIN.

All additional IPv6 allocation requests must be sent from the Admin or Tech Point of Contact (POC) associated with the organization's Org ID. Requests are submitted using the ARIN IPv6 Network Request Template.

To update contact and/or organization information, please see ARIN's Guidelines for Managing Organization and Contact Identifiers.

Subsequent allocation criteria

ARIN only makes subsequent allocations to organizations that meet the evaluation threshold of past address utilization in terms of the number of sites in units of /56 assignments.

The utilization criteria established by ARIN policy is an HD-Ratio of 0.94. For additional information on the HD-Ratio, how to compute it, and a table listing utilization percentages that correspond to an HD-Ratio of 0.94 for various network sizes, see Section 6.7 of the Number Resource Policy Manual.

Subsequent allocation size

Once an organization achieves an acceptable utilization for its allocated IPv6 address space, it may request an additional allocation equal to the amount it has already been allocated. ARIN makes the allocation from a contiguous address block where possible. This extends an organization's allocation one bit to the left.

Organizations needing more address space than described above must provide documentation that includes a projection of its requirements for a two-year period to justify the request. ARIN makes the allocation based on this projected requirement.

Step 2 - Completing the Template

Your organization must establish justification for the request of additional space. Justification information is supplied through the "Subsequent Allocation" section of the template. The following information is required:

  • A list of all IPv6 allocations from ARIN
  • The amount of IPv6 address space sub-delegated to customers
  • The amount of IPv6 address space used for internal purposes
  • The amount of unassigned IPv6 address space
  • The prefix length requested. If larger than the amount the organization currently holds, it must provide a projection of IPv6 space requirements for a two-year period.

Instructions for completing and submitting the template are provided at the bottom of the document. To ensure prompt and accurate processing of your IPv6 Network Request Template f ollow these instructions exactly. Any errors found may result in the template being returned for correction.

Step 3 - Submittal of Template and Auto Response

Upon successfully submitting the template, ARIN verifies its receipt of the request and issues a ticket number via e-mail to the individual who submitted the request. Based on the volume of requests, this may take up to 60 minutes.

Step 4 - Review Process

ARIN reviews and responds to a resource request within three (3) business days.

The response may include a request for additional information. For each question and response cycle, ARIN responds within three (3) business days. If ARIN does not receive a response within ninety (90) days, the ticket is considered closed and the request must be resubmitted. A response from ARIN requesting additional documentation or information does not imply a request will be denied; it simply means that additional information is needed to evaluate the request.

For questions about requests, communicate via e-mail to hostmaster@arin.net or call ARIN's Registration Services Help Desk at +1.703.227.0660. When contacting the Help Desk, have appropriate ticket numbers and other request documentation readily available, and have access to the ARIN website. In follow-up communication, supply the name of the ARIN Help Desk Resource Analyst that provided previous assistance. Click here for additional guidance on calling the Help Desk.

Step 5 - Request Approval

ARIN notifies your organization, via e-mail to the individual who submitted the request, whether the request was approved or not. The approval is good for ninety (90) days. If your organization does not follow up on the approval within that time, you must resubmit the request.

If a request is rejected and you feel that it has the proper justification for receiving the requested resource, you may contact ARIN to further explain its position.

Step 6- Fees

There is no fee for registering an additional allocation of IPv6 address space. However, when an organization is approved for an additional IPv6 allocation from ARIN, and the allocation moves it into a larger size fee category in any given anniversary year, ARIN issues an invoice for the new fee two months prior to when the subscriber's next annual renewal fee is due. For specifics on annual renewal fees, please see the ARIN Fee Schedule. Additional fee and payment information is available in the Billing section.

The approval of a request can be dependent on the billing status of the Org ID in question. Outstanding fees due to ARIN must be paid before additional resources are allocated.

Step 7 - Allocation

ARIN completes the allocation of the additional IP address block to the organization will be completed the day of ARIN's written approval of the request.

Managing IPv6 Allocation Records

Organization and Contact Identifiers

To ensure efficient and accurate processing, promptly update Org ID and POC records after any change. Additional information about Org IDs and POCs is available in ARIN's Guidelines for Managing Organization and Contact Identifiers.

Managing Reverse Lookup Zones

Per the IPv6 Reverse Lookup section of the NRPM, each organization should properly manage its reverse lookup zone. When an organization allocates IPv6 address space to another organization, it also delegates the responsibility for management of the reverse lookup zone for the delegated IPv6 address space.

When an organization assigns IPv6 address space, it must, upon request, delegate the reverse lookup zone management for the assigned address space to the downstream organization.

Making and Reporting Reassignments

As outlined in ARIN's IPv6 Policy, IPv6 assignments by organizations that have received allocations from ARIN are to be made in accordance with the following provisions:

  • Assignment address space size
    • /64 when it is known that one and only one subnet is needed
    • /56 for small sites, those expected to need only a few subnets over the next 5 years
    • /48 for larger sites
  • Assignment of multiple /48s to a single end site
    • Single end sites requiring an additional /48 address block must request the assignment with documentation or materials that justify the request.
    • ARIN processes and reviews the justification for requests for multiple or additional /48s.
  • Assignment to operator's infrastructure
  • An organization that receives an IPv6 allocation from ARIN may assign a /48 per PoP as the service infrastructure of an IPv6 service operator. Separate assignments can be obtained for the in-house operations of the operator.

ARIN is not concerned about which address size an ISP actually assigns. ARIN will not request the detailed information on IPv6 user networks as it does for IPv4. However, as utilization of current IPv4 address space can be considered in making IPv6 allocations, efficient utilization of an organization's IPv4 space is still required. Also, as defined in policy, an organization must meet the utilization requirement of a 0.94 HD-Ratio for its IPv6 address space in order to receive additional space.

All /56 or larger assignments to end sites must be registered either by the organization making the assignment or the downstream organization receiving the assignment. This registration must be done in such a way that the RIR/NIR can properly evaluate the HD-Ratio when a subsequent allocation becomes necessary. Guidelines for the Reporting of Reassignment Information outlines requirements and procedures organizations must follow in reporting reassignment information to ARIN.

Modifying or Returning an IPv6 Allocation

There are two types of changes that can be made to an IPv6 allocation record.

Modification

The IPv6 Network Modification (IPv6-NET-Mod) template can be used to change the POC handle associated with a resource allocation or to modify a network name. Modifications are submitted by the Administrative or Technical POC for the appropriate Org ID, or the Technical POC for the resource.

To change POCs associated with a resource allocation, the POCs must already exist. If the POCs are not currently registered in the ARIN database, submit a POC template prior to submitting the NET-Mod template.

Return

The IPv6 Network Modification template can also be used to return unused allocations to ARIN. Returns of an allocation can only be submitted by the Administrative POC.

Transfers of IPv6 Allocations

Transfers of IPv6 allocations are handled similarly to the transfer of any ARIN resource. Specific guidelines for this process are provided in ARIN's Guidelines for Transferring Internet Protocol (IP) Address Space & ASNs.