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We (a small French company) had reserved an IPv4 /24 block (256 addresses) from RIPE-NCC, over 20 years ago, but never used it. Update: our assignment belongs to the "Provider Independent (PI) address space", similar to that for this nearby block 193.57.35.0/24.

We are given three options by RIPE-NCC:

  1. The end user of the resources will sign an End User Assignment Agreement with an LIR of their choice
  2. The end user will become a RIPE NCC member and sponsor the resources
  3. The end user no longer needs the resources and will return them to the RIPE NCC

We'd like to keep that IPv4 /24 block assignment, and most importantly start making actual use of it, I guess using option 1.

Our use relates to a number of low-traffic servers (some for M2M services, some web ones in development status) for which a static IP per server would seem quite handy. We currently share two static IPv4 (not from this block) assigned by two ISPs renting us SDSL boxes. We route to the appropriate server using non-standard ports for some servers, and Host: http headers for web ones. We'd like an IPv4 per server, so as to be able to use standard ports, and route web traffic at the IP level. Also I hope this would ease setting-up our own SMTP ingoing and outgoing servers.

My understanding is that we'd need an ISP in our area, registered as a LIR by RIPE-NCC, that could route selected IPv4 in our block to the SDSL (or whatever) link it rents us. Is that correct? Is an arrangement of that kind common? How could I find such an ISP? So far, calls to our two ISPs basically ended in we don't offer that service, and emails to a number of other ISPs found in the list of LIR for France, at the contact address given there, have not been returned.

If that matters, the block lies in a much wider block assigned to RIPE-NCC, from which RIPE-NCC members somewhat are sub-assigned.

inetnum:        193.0.0.0 - 195.255.255.255
netname:        EU-ZZ-193-194-195
descr:          European Regional Registry
fgrieu
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    I don’t know if it’s common, but having your ISP reserve the subnet is definitely more common. – Daniel B Feb 02 '15 at 12:12
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    This sounds weird. First of all, I am surprised a /24 was given away without there being actual need even 20 years ago. Moreover, the first option of the suggestion makes sense only if the net in question was PI (provider independent) and not the more common PA (provider aggregable) kind; and PI blocks were handed out even less lightheartedly. - So coulsd you please add the info if this is a PI or PA block? – Hagen von Eitzen Feb 02 '15 at 17:27
  • @Hagen von Eitzen: the use initially envisioned was local routing of each workstation in the company on the global internet (in early nineties that appeared a reasonable objective). Our administrative situation seems similar to that for this [193.57.35.0/24 block](https://dnsquery.org/ipwhois/193.57.35.0), only that we are a private company rather than a public healthcare facility. – fgrieu Feb 02 '15 at 17:51

3 Answers3

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There are two things you need:

First you need an ISP that will act as the sponsoring LIR for you. Their role is just book keeping and maintaining the contractual chain between you and RIPE NCC.

Then you'll need an ISP that will route your addresses and announce them to the rest of the world using BGP.

Those two functions can be provided by a single ISP but it doesn't need to be.

Usually ADSL and VDSL providers only offer services using their own addresses. You'll need an ISP that specialises in business solutions. Such an ISP will probably be more expensive than the regular ones. I'm unfortunately not familiar enough with the French market to advise you on that.

An alternative might be to find an ISP that will create a tunnel for you. The routing will not be optimal and there will be a little overhead, but it might be cheaper. Technologies used for the tunnelling are things like LISP and GRE. LISP has the advantage that it can provide redundancy over multiple connections and that you can move your addresses around any way you like.

Sander Steffann
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How about returning it.

The usage of a complete /24 for just a few servers is a waste of precious IP space in a world of shortage.

This does not mean you do not need or even 'deserve' some address space! Just ask your local provider to route some more to your connections, maybe a block of 8 or even 16 addresses would mostly suffice.

PI (Provider Independent) space would be useful if you have a multiple uplinks and you are able to announce it yourself. This would provide redundancy but in your question emphasized more on the use of public addresses than redundancy.

Joffrey
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  • As I see some down-votes I would like to clarify this 'unpopular' answer: the person asking the question has limited bandwidth (sdsl), a small company and server pool, and indicates having an IP for every server is 'handy'. Based on these assertions I would recommend returning the space because I highly doubt it will be put in to good use. Moving the space to a datacenter, and/or using less space and some loadbalancing/forwarding/elastic-ip-like doing would probably be more suitable for this link of operation. – Joffrey Nov 26 '18 at 09:27
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  1. Search for a big LIR (Orange, for example) and sign an agreement with them so The IPv4 block remains under the management of the LIR and assigned exclusively to you.

  2. You have to contract from the LIR links to your data center using that IPv4 block.

jcbermu
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