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I am building a lab network with about 10 virtual routers and 20 host machines (also virtualized) as a part of a school project. The aim is to demonstrate a wide range of IPv6 routing, deployment and transition mechanisms. However, there is a problem... I am only entitled to very limited network resources - max. 10 IPs with individually opened ports/protocols. For such a dual-stack netowork, I would require at least a /25 of IPv4 space to comfortably implement the network without resorting on private IP ranges and NAT (atleast in the backbone area) and also to be able to demonstrate 6to4 and similar mechanisms.

Getting the temporary IP range assignment from a local academic LIR would be posible, but it is a considerable bureaucratic burden (unlikely to be completed until April when my project is due). Running BGP is also not an option for me, so I am unable to bring my own PI space.

Since performance of the network is not very important to me, I figured, I could use tunneling to "bring" more IPs to the network. I know there are many IPv6 tunnel brokers, so getting IPv6 in is not really an issue. What I am looking for is a similar concept, only for IPv4 addresses - not individual ones, but a whole subnet.

So, does there exist an IPv4 tunnel broker where I could rent a subnet and get it routed to me through a tunnel (GRE, IPIP, OpenVPN, ...) ?

  • We ran out of v4 space. Use v6 and get with the times? – Tom O'Connor Dec 21 '11 at 22:32
  • The purpose of the lab is to demonstrate the transition mechanisms. There will have to be at least some public IPs for dual-stack routers that terminate the tunnels. –  Dec 21 '11 at 22:34
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    As far as I know such a tunnel broker doesn't exist, and with the exhaustion of the IPv4 space I doubt anyone would be looking to set one up. You're probably better off doing paperwork on your end honestly - an ISP would probably require your first born child as a downpayment to set this kind of thing up for you (or tell you to colocate your stuff with them instead) – voretaq7 Dec 21 '11 at 22:34
  • Why do private IPs are not ok? Why you think that you need NAT for this? Do you want to communicate with outside world, or just to test the communication? – Mircea Vutcovici Dec 21 '11 at 22:34
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    Why not call up various data centers and see if anyone will let rent you a `/25`, then simply host a box there, and build your own VPN/tunnel. – Zoredache Dec 21 '11 at 22:35
  • Also since this is a *demonstration* is there a reason you can't use the various RFC-1918 ranges on a private net (say make 10/8 your "private" and 192.168/16 your "public")? Cheaper, Quicker, and you don't have to do any paperwork for anyone... – voretaq7 Dec 21 '11 at 22:36
  • If you are demonstrating transitional technologies and procedures, excluding private IP space and NAT is a huge hole IMHO – Zypher Dec 21 '11 at 22:36
  • A part of the demonstration is a usability study, so I would like the machines to have Internet access. For a large part of the network, the private addresses can be used, but that involves some nasty routing and tunneling hacks in the network itself and I would like it to be as clean as possible. –  Dec 21 '11 at 22:37
  • @Zypher I am not excluding it, it wil also be a part of the lab. –  Dec 21 '11 at 22:37
  • @Zoredache That's a great idea, but that would defeat the purpose oh hosting the servers on the school premises in the first place. –  Dec 21 '11 at 22:42
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    How does that defeat the purpose? If you can't do BGP to get the address space routed, then it is going to have to get to you through a tunnel. It seems far more likely that you could find a DC that will rent you address space in addition to a hosted box were you build your own tunnel over what you are asking for. – Zoredache Dec 21 '11 at 23:03
  • What I meant was, I could just host the servers there and not use the school facilities at all. –  Dec 21 '11 at 23:27

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Expanding on Zoredache's comment, the only way you're going to get any sort of space in a broker is to DIY it with a VPN/tunnel. A /25 is 128 IPv4 addresses which are a highly valued commodity these days that you are going to pay out the roof for.( Expect 1-2 dollars IP per month atleast) For a block that big you will need to fill out a justification for them and at usage today, you'll need a damn good reason to get that meny publicly routable addresses which a lab most likely won't cut IMHO. Going back to the question however, to build your own get a colo'ed box with your required address block. Then you just need to setup a VPN/Tunnel to tunnel your traffic from your network to the box. The hardest part will be getting the addresses, but if you manage to do that the Tunnel setup is pretty basic.

Jacob
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    To add to this, if there were any cost effective way to "rent" IP addresses, you can be sure the spammers would be all over it. – devicenull Dec 22 '11 at 00:48