IPv6 Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do I need to be a member of the RIPE NCC to receive an IPv6 allocation?
2. How can I get an IPv6 allocation from RIPE NCC?
3. How much do IPv6 addresses cost?
4. Are the fees associated with getting an IPv6 allocation from the RIPE NCC different to the fees associated with getting an IPv4 allocation?
5. Does "slash notation" differ between IPv6 and IPv4?
6. What is a subnet?
7. Do the IPv6 address assignment policies differ from the IPv4 address assignment policies?
8. Is it possible to get an IPv6 Provider Independent (PI) assignment?
9. Can an Internet Exchange Point (IXP) get an IPv6 assignment?
10. Is it possible to get an IPv6 multicast space allocation?
11. Is it possible to receive an ‘experimental’ IPv6 assignment?
12. What is the difference between an allocation and an assignment?
13. What is the minimum IPv6 allocation size?
14. One of my customers wants to request an IPv6 allocation. Can I submit a request on their behalf?
15. What are the minimum and maximum IPv6 assignments that a Local Internet Registry (LIR) can make to its customer?
16. Do I need to register assignments made to my customers from my IPv6 allocation in the RIPE Database?
17. Do I need to send a request form if I want to make an assignment to an End User within my IPv6 allocation?
1. Do I need to be a member of the RIPE NCC to receive an IPv6 allocation?
Yes. IP address space is only allocated to RIPE NCC members. However, smaller Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and End Sites can obtain an IPv6 address space assignment or sub-allocation from an upstream provider. See the RIPE Document "IPv6 Address Allocation and Assignment Policy" for more information about IPv6 allocations and assignments.
2. How can I get an IPv6 allocation from RIPE NCC?
To get an IPv6 allocation from the RIPE NCC, you must be a Local Internet Registry (LIR)/RIPE NCC member. If you are already an LIR/RIPE NCC member, you can request an IPv6 allocation by completing the IPv6 First Allocation Request Form. To receive an IPv6 allocation, you will need to have a plan to make sub-allocations to other organisations and/or make End Site assignments within two years.
See the RIPE Document "IPv6 Address Allocation and Assignment Policy" for more information about receiving an IPv6 allocation.
3. How much do IPv6 addresses cost?
All IP addresses are regarded as a public resource and cannot be bought or sold. The RIPE NCC charges its members annual service fees for the
administrative work involved in allocating address space.
4. Are the fees associated with getting an IPv6 allocation from the RIPE NCC different to the fees associated with getting an IPv4 allocation?
No. RIPE NCC members are charged an annual fee based on the services that the member receives according to the billing score algorithm.
There is no distinction made between those services related to IPv4 address allocation and those related to IPv6 address allocation. However, the number of addresses that a new member receives as the default minimum differs between IPv4 and IPv6 allocations.
Currently, a /32 IPv6 allocation (65,536 subnets each the size of a /48) scores the same in a member’s billing score as a /21 IPv4 Provider Aggregatable (PA) allocation (2,048 IPv4 addresses) or a /24 IPv4 Provider Independent (PI) assignment (256 IPv4 addresses).
5. Does "slash notation" differ between IPv6 and IPv4?
Yes. Slash notation for IPv4 and IPv6 is based on the same principle but the amount of addresses that each slash represents differs between the two protocols. It is difficult to make direct comparisons between IPv4 and IPv6 because of the very large numbers involved in IPv6 addressing. However, the example below gives a simple overview:
In IPv4 addressing, a /32 is equivalent to one single IP address.
In IPv6 addressing, a /32 results in 65,536 subnets, each of which is the size of a /48. Each /48 contains 65,536 /64s and each /64 contains 264 addresses. This means that each IPv6 /32 allocation contains 4.29 billion /64s (4.29 billion x (264 ) IPv6 addresses, which results in a number too large to be meaningful in print).
A /64 subnet is the smallest IPv6 assignment that an End User can receive according to the current IPv6 assignment policy. So, an End User assigned the smallest IPv6 assignment will receive 264 IPv6 addresses.
An End User assigned the smallest IPv4 assignment will receive one single IPv4 address.
See the CIDR Chart for an overview of IPv4 and IPv6 slash notation.
6. What is a subnet?
A sub network (subnet) is a part of an organisation's network. A subnet may represent all the machines at one geographic location, in one building, or on the same local area network (LAN). Dividing a network into subnets allows the network to be connected to the Internet with a single shared network address. Without subnets, a network might use multiple connections to the Internet, one for each physically separate sub network. When referring to IPv6 addressing schemes, subnets are used to describe the amount of addresses contained within IPv6 slash notation. See Does "slash notation" differ between IPv4 and IPv6?
See the CIDR Chart for an overview of IPv4 and IPv6 slash notation.
7. Do the IPv6 address assignment policies differ from the IPv4 address assignment policies?
Yes. Technical differences between IPv4 and IPv6 mean that there are different policies for IPv4 and IPv6 address space management and assignment. However, all policies are based on the same principles and the processes used to assign IPv4 and IPv6 are the same.
All RIPE policies are proposed, discussed and approved by the RIPE community using the RIPE Policy Development Process (PDP).
8. Is it possible to get an IPv6 Provider Independent (PI) assignment?
Yes. Please see chapter 8 of the the RIPE Document "IPv6 Address Allocation and Assignment Policy" for more details about IPv6 Provider Independent (PI) Assignments.
9. Can an Internet Exchange Point (IXP) get an IPv6 assignment?
Yes. However, there are separate procedures and policies for IPv6 assignments to IXPs. Please see the RIPE Document "IPv6 Address Space Policy for Internet Exchange Points" for more information.
10. Is it possible to get an IPv6 multicast space allocation?
No. Currently, the RIPE NCC only allocates IPv6 unicast space. Please see the RIPE Document "IPv6 Address Allocation and Assignment Policy" for more information.
11. Is it possible to receive an ‘experimental’ IPv6 assignment?
Yes. RIPE NCC members can apply for an experimental IPv6 assignment. Please see the RIPE Document "IPv6 Address Allocation and Assignment Policy" for more information.
12. What is the difference between an allocation and an assignment?
A Regional Internet Registry (RIR), such as the RIPE NCC, "allocates" address space to its members for subsequent distribution by them.
The member can then "assign" or delegate this address space to an End User for specific use within the Internet infrastructure it operates.
The RIPE NCC also makes direct assignments of IP addresses to End Users.
See the RIPE Document "IPv6 Address Allocation and Assignment Policy" for more details about this terminology.
13. What is the minimum IPv6 allocation size?
The minimum default IPv6 allocation that a member can receive is a /32.
A /32 contains, for example, 65,536 subnets each the size of a /48. Anallocation can be divided into sub-allocations and assignments of
various sizes.
Organisations need to justify the need for an allocation that is bigger than a /32 according to the policy outlined in the RIPE Document
"IPv6 Address Allocation and Assignment Policy".
14. One of my customers wants to request an IPv6 allocation. Can I submit a request on their behalf?
No. To qualify for an IPv6 allocation, an organisation must be a Local Internet Registry (LIR)/a member of the RIPE NCC.
15. What are the minimum and maximum IPv6 assignments that a Local Internet Registry (LIR) can make to its customer?
The size of the assignment that an LIR can make to a customer (an ‘End User’) is decided by an LIR itself. However, the minimum assignment is a /64. A /64 should be used when only one subnet is anticipated for the End Site.
The largest assignment size that can be made without the LIR having to send a request form to the RIPE NCC is a /48. If an End User requires more IPv6 addresses than it receives in a /48, it must provide documentation or materials that justify this request.
Requests for multiple or additional prefixes exceeding a /48 assignment for a single End Site will be processed, reviewed and the justification evaluated by RIPE NCC.
LIR can, however, make sub-allocations of any size without asking for approval from the RIPE NCC or sending a request form.
See the RIPE Document "IPv6 Address Allocation and Assignment Policy" for guidelines on IPv6 assignments.
See the CIDR Chart for an overview of slash notation.
16. Do I need to register assignments made to my customers from my IPv6 allocation in the RIPE Database?
If more than /48 is assigned to an organisation, it must be registered in the RIPE Database.
If the assignment is a /48 or less it should be registered in a database that can be accessed by the RIPE NCC as appropriate. The assignment can be registered in the RIPE Database or, for example, in a Local Internet Registry’s (LIR) own database.
See the RIPE Document "IPv6 Address Allocation and Assignment Policy", section 5.5, for more information about this.
17. Do I need to send a request form if I want to make an assignment to an End User within my IPv6 allocation?
If an End User requires a /48 or less, it is not necessary to send a request form to the RIPE NCC.
If an End User requires more than a /48 of address space an IPv6 End User Site Assignment Request Form needs to be submitted to the RIPE NCC
for approval.
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