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APNIC Document identity
Title: Operational policies for National Internet Registries
in the APNIC region
Short title: operational-policies-nirs
Document ref: APNIC-103
Version: 003
Date of original publication: 29 November 2002
Date of this version: 20 July 2023
Review scheduled: n/a
Obsoletes: 002
Status: Active
Comments: Implements prop-145
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Operational policies for National Internet Registries
in the APNIC region
Table of contents
-----------------
1. Introduction
1.1 General
1.2 NIR establishment
1.3 NIR fees
2. Definitions
2.1 NIR-LIR member
3. APNIC address allocations to NIRs
3.1 General
3.2 Request process
3.2.1 Allocation request
3.2.2 Second opinion request
3.3 Database registration
3.4 Delegating reverse zones in in-addr.arpa and ip6.arpa
3.5 Address space held by NIRs
3.6 Service levels
4. Transfer of members between APNIC and an NIR
4.1 Transfer of membership from APNIC to an NIR
4.2 Transfer of membership from NIR to APNIC
1. Introduction
_____________________________________________________________________
1.1 General
---------------
To improve allocation and registration services for the Asia Pacific
Internet community, APNIC provides for the establishment of National
Internet Registries (NIRs) within economies of the region. This
structure enables registry services to be provided in the local
language and culture, allowing better services to ISPs requiring
Internet resources.
Historically, the creation of NIRs added complexity to APNIC's
ability to carry out its delegated responsibility to ensure
efficient Internet resource utilisation in the Asia Pacific. The
added layer of administration placed demands on APNIC that were
disproportionate to the demands of other members. Because there is a
need to ensure that NIRs do not negatively impact resource management
in this region, a clearer, simpler framework for the operations of
the NIR system has been developed.
This document describes the operational procedures for resource
allocation by APNIC to NIRs and their members.
This document does not describe address management policies, which
are documented elsewhere, and which NIRs are expected to comply with.
NIRs may implement additional local policies, provided these do not
conflict with regional or global policies. Any substantial policy
change proposed within an NIR's community should be brought to the
APNIC community for approval through existing open policy-making
mechanisms.
Any questions regarding this document should be referred to the APNIC
Secretariat.
1.2 NIR establishment
-------------------------
The recognition of NIRs in the APNIC region is the responsibility of
the APNIC Executive Council. The criteria for establishment and
recognition of NIRs are not discussed in this document, but are
detailed in the APNIC document "Criteria for the Recognition of NIRs
in the APNIC Region".
1.3 NIR fees
----------------
APNIC charges fees for providing NIR services. These fees are set at
a level that ensures that other APNIC members do not subsidise NIR
members and that NIRs provide sufficient funding to cover the cost of
providing the services they require. Details of the NIR fees are
described in the APNIC document "APNIC Fee Schedule: Membership
Tiers, Fees, and Descriptions", within the provisions describing the
'per address fee' for confederations.
2. Definitions
_____________________________________________________________________
Terms not defined in this document have the meaning given to them in the APNIC
Definition Document and Policy Document.
https://www.apnic.net/about-apnic/corporate-documents/documents/corporate/definitions/
https://www.apnic.net/community/policy/resources
2.1 NIR-LIR member
----------------------
An NIR-LIR member is an LIR that is a member of an NIR.
3. APNIC address allocations to NIRs
_____________________________________________________________________
3.1 General
---------------
As members of APNIC and of the Asia Pacific Internet community, NIRs
are required to fully implement all applicable APNIC address
management policies. As NIRs, they also take responsibility for
ensuring policy compliance with respect to all Internet resources
which are under their management.
It should be noted that APNIC cannot delegate to an NIR sole
responsibility for managing all address space within its country or
economy. APNIC must remain able to accept direct membership from any
organisation in the Asia Pacific region, both to promote maximum
Internet routability and to meet its obligations as an open
membership organisation.
3.2 Request process
-------------------
For each NIR, APNIC will maintain an "allocation window" which
specifies the maximum allocation which the NIR may make without
seeking a "second opinion" from APNIC.
3.2.1 Allocation request
When the NIR approves an allocation which is smaller than, or
equal in size to, its allocation window, the NIR will send
APNIC an "allocation request". When APNIC receives an
allocation request, it will allocate the amount of address
space specified to the NIR. The NIR will then allocate that
address space to its NIR-LIR member.
An allocation request must include all information required
to register the allocation and create the applicable whois
database objects. In particular, the allocation request must
include a unique identifier for the NIR-LIR member for whom
the allocation is being requested. These identifiers are used
to ensure aggregation of subsequent allocations to each
NIR-LIR member.
In the allocation request, the NIR is not required to provide
information justifying the allocation; however, the NIR must
maintain such information permanently in its own records.
3.2.2 Second opinion request
For requests than are larger that the NIR's allocation
window, the NIR must send APNIC a "second opinion request". A
second opinion request includes the same information as the
allocation request, as well as information which fully
justifies the proposed allocation. The second opinion request
should also include a summary of the NIR's evaluation of the
request and proposed allocation size.
When APNIC receives a second opinion request, it will
evaluate the proposed allocation size. If APNIC agrees that
the request is properly justified, it will allocate the
address space to the NIR for re-allocation to the NIR-LIR
member. If APNIC does not agree that the request is properly
justified, it will request further information as required
from the NIR, and possibly request that more information be
collected by the NIR from the applicant.
The second opinion request procedure for allocations is very
similar to the procedure used by APNIC and NIRs with respect
to assignments by LIRs.
3.3 Database registration
-----------------------------
An NIR may choose to operate a whois database to locally register the
allocations it makes. Requirements for operating such a database are
provided in the document "Criteria for the Recognition of NIRs in the
APNIC Region".
Whether or not an NIR does operate a whois database, the NIR is
responsible for maintaining all registration records for address
space under its management. This maintenance includes adding new
records when allocations are made, updating records when details
change, and transferring records to or from APNIC.
In all cases, it is important that the APNIC database server is able
to answer queries for all address space that is in use by the NIR,
and also that the "source" of those responses should clearly reflect
the specific NIR providing the data.
3.4 Delegating reverse zones in in-addr.arpa and ip6.arpa
-------------------------------------------------------------
Each NIR may choose one of the following options for managing the
reverse DNS zones:
1. Automated
Reverse DNS zones may be managed using the currently supported
automated process documented at:
Reverse DND delegations resource guide:
http://www.apnic.net/services/dns_guide.html
2. Manual
Reverse DNS delegations may be managed using MyAPNIC
MyAPNIC
https://my.apnic.net
3.5 Address space held by NIRs
----------------------------------
Under the previous 'confederation' model, NIRs were able to hold
allocations of resources for further allocation to ISPs in their
economy. This document describes a new model whereby all allocations
approved by NIRs will be made from the regional address pool managed
by the APNIC Secretariat.
Existing address pools held by NIRs should be further allocated as
appropriate, under current address management policies.
3.6 Service levels
----------------------
APNIC will attempt to respond to all NIR requests within its standard
response time (currently two working days). In the case of allocation
requests (as opposed to second-opinion requests), APNIC will attempt
to respond with a specific allocation within one working day.
4. Transfer of members between APNIC and an NIR
_____________________________________________________________________
4.1 Transfer of membership from APNIC to an NIR
-----------------------------------------------
If an LIR transfers membership from APNIC to an NIR, the following
provisions apply. These provisions assume that the LIR will transfer
all resources to the NIR and cancel its existing APNIC membership;
however, as noted below, there may exceptions.
A. APNIC should freely allow member LIRs to join NIRs in
their country and to receive address registry services
from that NIR (including resource allocation and
registration), wherever this is preferred.
B. In these cases, management responsibility for the LIR's
address space and registration records will be transferred
from APNIC to the NIR. The LIR will no longer receive any
service from APNIC in relation to the address space
received from APNIC.
C. The existing address space holdings of the LIR will be
transferred to the management of the NIR. This address
space will be included in the assessment of the NIR's
membership category in the next membership renewal.
D. APNIC will not impose a per-address fee for the transfer.
Likewise, APNIC will not impose any further charges on the
LIR in relation to Internet resources previously allocated
to that LIR.
If the LIR chooses to maintain its membership with APNIC while
receiving new allocations from an NIR, the LIR may choose whether and
when resources are transferred (and may opt for them to be
transferred gradually over time).
It should be noted that although an LIR may be a member of both an
NIR and APNIC, it may only obtain resource services from one source.
4.2 Transfer of membership from NIR to APNIC
------------------------------------------------
If an LIR transfers membership from an NIR to APNIC, to receive
services from APNIC, the following conditions apply.
NIRs should freely allow NIR-LIR members to join APNIC and to receive
all address registry services from APNIC (including resource
allocation and registration), wherever this is preferred.
Responsibility for managing the NIR-LIR member's address space,
reverse DNS, and registration records will be transferred from the
NIR to APNIC. The NIR-LIR member will no longer receive any service
from the NIR in relation to the address space received from the NIR.
The NIR-LIR member will become an APNIC member. Their APNIC
membership tier will be assessed at the next membership renewal,
based on all of their APNIC-managed address space (including both the
transferred address space and any other address space they have
received from APNIC).
The NIR will not impose any further charges on the LIR in relation to
Internet resources previously allocated to that LIR.
As in section 4.1 above, the transition of address space management
from NIR to APNIC may take place over time, with the LIR maintaining
membership of both registries. Again it should be noted in such cases
that an LIR may be a member of both NIR and APNIC, but can only
obtain resource services from one source.