Re: Large ISPs doing NAT?

[Scott Francis <darkuncle () darkuncle net>]

On Thu, May 02, 2002 at 05:09:15PM -0700, pmb+nanog () sfgoth com said:
[snip]
> Mobile-IP devices are all about bringing the Internet to your pocket. That
> doesn't mean just the web! The web is UI optimized for a desktop machine.
> Who knows what specific applications might be developed for a user
> accessing the Internet from a device the size of a bar of soap? What if I
> want to write CUSeeMe for mobile phones? Or a scavanger hunt game?
> Something that takes advantage of the mobility rarely found by a desktop
> user?
>
> It is these _form factor specific_ applications that will drive the sales
> of devices that utilize this new network. Surfing the web is just the tip
> of the iceberg that everyone already understands. If that's the only
> application enabled by GPRS, then I don't forsee GPRS phones selling in
> leaps and bounds. It seems like providers would be spending a whole lot of
> money to upgrade their network for just one new application that only a few
> customers are asking for.

Good points here. I think sometimes we miss the future direction and
possibilities that technology may take in our focus on making things work in
the present.

> The presumption of the first several responders was that it was to conserve
> addresses, which they pointed out is not actually necessary. I'm hoping
> that was the case, and that maybe the choice of NAT can be revisited...

As I wrote to another poster, it's possible that I may have been too quick to
jump on the conservation bandwagon. I was directed to
http://www.caida.org/outreach/resources/learn/ipv4space/ which, although
possibly dated, shows that plenty of space is available. Whether or not this
is easily assigned/accessible space is something else. I think merely
reclaiming some of the legacy A blocks assigned years ago that are being used
sparsely, if at all, would eliminate any lingering doubts about space, at
least for the time being. The chances of companies giving up their unused
blocks, or trading for smaller ones, is probably pretty slim though.

> -pmb

-- 
Scott Francis                   darkuncle@ [home:] d a r k u n c l e . n e t
Systems/Network Manager          sfrancis@ [work:]         t o n o s . c o m
GPG public key 0xCB33CCA7              illum oportet crescere me autem minui

Attachment: _bin
Description: