Brandon Ross wrote:
Why is this so hard to believe? Real estate is mostly a free market, and that seems to perform pretty well for the most part. How is address space that different? Please explain how you believe this would destroy the internet.
Aggregation on a per-network basis would go down the tubes. ARIN sets aside a larger block than a network's initial allocation when first apply. I'm not sure what the criteria are for this initial large block, but I assume it's around a year's worth of projected growth. The network is then given adjacent pieces of that larger block as the need is justified. Once it have used up that block, you have one nice, pretty entry for the global tables. If any network had to go to eBay to buy a /22 every time they need one, look out. You think the BGP tables are too big now ? Of course, the other alternative is to buy a HUGE block of IP addresses and hoard them. So much for address conservation and reduction of wasted, unused space. -- Andrea Abrahamsen Software Engineer, Intelligent Network Services Cisco Systems