RIRs give out unique addresses (Was: something has a /8! ...)

[Jeroen Massar <jeroen () unfix org>]

On 2012-09-20 16:01 , John Curran wrote:
> On Sep 19, 2012, at 5:01 AM, Tim Franklin <tim () pelican org> wrote:
>
> > > So...why do you need publicly routable IP addresses if they
> > > aren't publicly routable?
> >
> > Because the RIRs aren't in the business of handing out publicly
> > routable address space.  They're in the business of handing out
> > globally unique address space - *one* of the reasons for which may
> > be connection to the "public Internet", whatever that is at any
> > given point in time and space.
> >
> > RIPE are really good about making the distinction and using the
> > latter phrase rather than the former.  I'm not familiar enough with
> > the corresponding ARIN documents to comment on the language used
> > there.
>
> It's very clear in the ARIN region as well.  From the ARIN Number
> Resource Policy Manual (NRPM), 
> <https://www.arin.net/policy/nrpm.html#four11> -
>
> "4.1. General Principles 4.1.1. Routability Provider independent
> (portable) addresses issued directly from ARIN or other Regional
> Registries are not guaranteed to be globally routable."

While close, that is not the same.

The RIPE variant solely guarantees uniqueness of the addresses.

The ARIN variant states "we don't guarantee that you can route it
everywhere", which is on top of the uniqueness portion.

This is quite not what is meant with using it completely off-grid, thus
not showing up in the global "Internet" BGP routes anywhere.

Greets,
 Jeroen