BTW.Media
Daily editionStrategic Internet Intelligence
Sign InRegister

APNIC · RIR Watchdog

Experimental Internet Resource Allocations

Start here for the proposal-by-proposal record: what changed, why it mattered, who argued for what, how positions evolved, what was decided, and where the evidence still has gaps.

Source facts

Policy ID
unnumbered-experimental-resource-allocations-2002
RIR
APNIC
Official status
accepted
Normalized status
Accepted
Introduced
Unknown
Last source update
Sep 17, 2026
Coverage
Partial

Who actually shaped the debate?

3Total participants
2Discussion contributors
2Formal actors
4Discussion messages
1.6Effective participants
100%Top-five discussion share
1People covering 50%
2People covering 80%

Policy evolution

Debate timeline

  1. Official version

    August 2002 proposal

    Source facts ↗

  2. Official decision

    accepted

    accepted

    Source facts ↗

Entities

Freshness: Stale · Last refresh: · The latest refresh failed. The last successful result is shown.
  1. Arano, Takashi · Identity unresolved
    Discussion messages3
    First activityAug 11, 2002
    Last activityAug 21, 2002
    First explicit stanceUnknown
    Latest explicit stanceUnknown
    Stance changes0
    Viewpoint consistencyInsufficient evidence to assess consistency
    Other policies3
  2. Philip Smith
    Discussion messages1
    First activityAug 21, 2002
    Last activityAug 21, 2002
    First explicit stanceSupport
    Latest explicit stanceSupport
    Stance changes0
    Viewpoint consistencyInsufficient evidence to assess consistency
    Other policies5
    Freshness: Stale · Last refresh: · The latest refresh failed. The last successful result is shown.

    Last research attempt: Sep 21, 2026

    Identity verified: Sep 25, 2026

    Cisco Systems · Historical
    Philip Smith Cisco Systems
    conference.apnic.net
    · Historical
    Philip Smith
    lacnic.net
    Cisco Systems · Historical
    Philip Smith | pfs at cisco.com | Cisco Systems
    lists.afrinic.net
    Discussion messages
    1
    First activity
    Aug 21, 2002
    Last activity
    Aug 21, 2002
    First explicit stance
    Support
    Latest explicit stance
    Support
    Stance changes
    0
    Viewpoint consistency
    Insufficient evidence to assess consistency
    Other policies
    5

    First explicit stance: Support → Latest explicit stance: Support · Stance changes: 0

    Viewpoint consistency: Insufficient evidence to assess consistency

    Philip defends a framework for experimental allocations in 2002, questions the claimed origin of an IPv4 proposal in 2004, and requests substantial clarification of an NIR proposal in 2008. These are different policy questions and kinds of intervention. The supplied messages support those distinctions, but do not provide repeated positions on the same substantive issue from which a reversal or durable cross-policy stance could be established.

    Experimental Internet Resource Allocations

    Assessment: Insufficient evidence to assess consistency · The 2002 reply explains and defends registry-managed experimental allocations, using IPv6, four-byte ASNs and temporary conference assignments as context. There is only one supplied position on this proposal.

    Conditions: The examples describe the author's historical understanding, not present-day allocation rules.

    The basic premise of the proposal is that the registry system should be handling all Internet Resource allocations and assignments

    A proposal to lower the IPv4 minimum allocation size and initialallocation criteria in the AsiaPacificregion

    Assessment: Insufficient evidence to assess consistency · The 2004 reply asks for the source of an alleged secretariat proposal and invokes the bottom-up process. It does not state a position on the proposal's allocation thresholds.

    Conditions: A question about provenance is not a support or opposition vote.

    Where did you see that proposal from the secretariat?

    BTW, if you don't like the bottom up process, please present a policy proposal to change it.

    Change in the criteria for the recognition of NIRs in the APNIC region

    Assessment: Insufficient evidence to assess consistency · The 2008 reply calls for a clearer problem statement and documented effects on NIRs, governments and the wider APNIC structure. It establishes substantial concerns, but no earlier or later view on this proposal is supplied for comparison.

    Conditions: Substantive criticism must not be reduced to a formal opposition vote that the author did not cast.

    I believe this proposal needs substantial work to resolve the issues I mentioned above.

    As it stands, it has significant impact on the entire APNIC, NIR and LIR structure and relationship; I feel this needs to be carefully considered and documented.

    Experimental Internet Resource Allocations · A proposal to lower the IPv4 minimum allocation size and initialallocation criteria in the AsiaPacificregion

    Assessment: Insufficient evidence to assess consistency · Defending a mechanism for experimental allocations and requesting the provenance of a different IPv4 proposal are not conflicting positions on the same question.

    Conditions: The messages are two years apart and address different policy functions.

    The basic premise of the proposal is that the registry system should be handling all Internet Resource allocations and assignments

    Where did you see that proposal from the secretariat?

    A proposal to lower the IPv4 minimum allocation size and initialallocation criteria in the AsiaPacificregion · Change in the criteria for the recognition of NIRs in the APNIC region

    Assessment: Insufficient evidence to assess consistency · The two later replies seek clarity, respectively about proposal origin and institutional effects. That shared concern is narrower than a demonstrated consistent substantive stance, and neither reply supplies a comparable vote.

    Conditions: Similarity of questioning style alone does not establish policy consistency.

    Where did you see that proposal from the secretariat?

    I believe this proposal needs substantial work to resolve the issues I mentioned above.

    1. Aug 21, 2002 · Support

      Re: [sig-policy] Fwd: Re: two proposals for address policy sig

      The basic premise of the proposal is that the registry system should be handling all Internet Resource allocations and assignments (given that they handle the routable Internet Resource assignments within their system at the moment).

      Source facts ↗
    Per-policy stance timelines:prop-014 · Unknown · Insufficient evidence to assess consistencyprop-060 · Unknown · Insufficient evidence to assess consistencyprop-071 · Unknown · No explicit position statedprop-072 · Unknown · No explicit position statedExperimental Internet Resource Allocations · Support · Insufficient evidence to assess consistencyIPv6 Addresses for Documentation Purposes · Unknown · No explicit position stated

    Total policy messages: 3

  3. Geoff Huston
    Discussion messages0
    First activityUnknown
    Last activityUnknown
    First explicit stanceUnknown
    Latest explicit stanceUnknown
    Stance changes0
    Viewpoint consistencyNo explicit position stated
    Other policies7

Sources and coverage

Official policy sources

Public discussion archives

  • apnic-sig-policy
    Earliest captured
    Jun 1, 2001
    Latest captured
    Sep 21, 2026
    Last refresh
    Aug 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    405
    Known gaps
    36
  • apnic-sig-policy
    Earliest captured
    Jun 1, 2001
    Latest captured
    Sep 21, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    3,595
    Known gaps
    0
  • www.apnic.net
  • conference.apnic.net
  • apnic-academy-talk-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Jan 12, 2023
    Latest captured
    Jan 19, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,113
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-afg-community-apnic.foundation
    Earliest captured
    Sep 27, 2023
    Latest captured
    Jun 24, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,069
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-apac-ict-women-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Oct 22, 2024
    Latest captured
    Aug 11, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,560
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-apix-chair-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Unknown
    Latest captured
    Unknown
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    0
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-apix-secretary-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Unknown
    Latest captured
    Unknown
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    0
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-apix-treasurer-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Unknown
    Latest captured
    Unknown
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    0
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-apnic-alumni-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Feb 14, 2024
    Latest captured
    Jul 14, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,567
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-apnic-announce-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Jun 11, 2025
    Latest captured
    Sep 3, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,920
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-apnic-foundation-discuss-apnic.foundation
    Earliest captured
    Sep 12, 2022
    Latest captured
    Mar 11, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,205
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-apnic-services-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Aug 31, 2020
    Latest captured
    Aug 4, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,648
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-apnic-talk-lists.apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Apr 15, 2004
    Latest captured
    Sep 8, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,760
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-apnic-transfers-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Sep 21, 2012
    Latest captured
    Feb 22, 2025
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,607
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-bgp-stats-lists.apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Aug 30, 2026
    Latest captured
    Sep 15, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    3,783
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-community-elections-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Nov 12, 2021
    Latest captured
    Nov 22, 2021
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    7
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-community-events-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    May 9, 2025
    Latest captured
    Aug 19, 2025
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,754
    Known gaps
    1
  • apnic-diversity-in-leadership-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Jun 9, 2026
    Latest captured
    Jul 8, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    130
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-ianaxfer-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Mar 27, 2014
    Latest captured
    Jul 11, 2019
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,630
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-icp-2review-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Apr 24, 2025
    Latest captured
    Sep 1, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,084
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-measurement-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    May 31, 2023
    Latest captured
    Mar 8, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,634
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-mvnog-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Feb 5, 2026
    Latest captured
    Sep 28, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    144
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-orbit-discuss-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Sep 13, 2022
    Latest captured
    Nov 13, 2022
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    668
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-pngnog-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Dec 26, 2019
    Latest captured
    Oct 28, 2024
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,443
    Known gaps
    1
  • apnic-security-discuss-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Mar 27, 2024
    Latest captured
    Aug 16, 2024
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,437
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-sig-cooperation-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Jan 15, 2015
    Latest captured
    Aug 25, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 12, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,639
    Known gaps
    1
  • apnic-sig-guidelines-review-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Jun 3, 2026
    Latest captured
    Sep 2, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    1,372
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-sig-nir-lists.apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    May 13, 2004
    Latest captured
    Sep 4, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,740
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-sig-routingsecurity-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Apr 3, 2020
    Latest captured
    Aug 25, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,495
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-user-feedback-group-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Sep 12, 2022
    Latest captured
    Jul 14, 2026
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,198
    Known gaps
    0
  • apnic-wg-pdr-apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Mar 29, 2021
    Latest captured
    Sep 21, 2022
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,188
    Known gaps
    1
  • apnic-youth4ig-lists.apnic.net
    Earliest captured
    Feb 19, 2020
    Latest captured
    Jul 28, 2023
    Last refresh
    Oct 13, 2026
    Coverage
    Source coverage is incomplete.
    Loading
    2,546
    Known gaps
    0

Coverage

Partial
Earliest captured: Jun 1, 2001
Latest captured: Oct 13, 2026

Freshness

Freshness: Stale · Last refresh: · The latest refresh failed. The last successful result is shown.

Known gaps

  • www.apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-sig-policy: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-sig-policy: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • www.apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • conference.apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-academy-talk-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-afg-community-apnic.foundation: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-apac-ict-women-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-apix-chair-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-apix-secretary-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-apix-treasurer-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-apnic-alumni-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-apnic-announce-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-apnic-foundation-discuss-apnic.foundation: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-apnic-services-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-apnic-talk-lists.apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-apnic-transfers-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-bgp-stats-lists.apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-community-elections-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-community-events-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-diversity-in-leadership-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-ianaxfer-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-icp-2review-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-measurement-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-mvnog-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-orbit-discuss-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-pngnog-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-security-discuss-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-sig-cooperation-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-sig-guidelines-review-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-sig-nir-lists.apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-sig-routingsecurity-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-user-feedback-group-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-wg-pdr-apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.
  • apnic-youth4ig-lists.apnic.net: Source coverage is incomplete. · The source boundary has not yet been reached.