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With IPv4 addresses in short supply, they could become increasingly interesting and marketable goods. This is a concern for Regional Internet Registries (RIR) that are in charge of managing IP address allocations.

Heise Online reports: "If they officially permit transfers or sales in the future, they will be implicitly accepting commercialization and privatization. Any attempt to insist on the return of addresses to the RIRs could drive trading, which is probably inevitable, underground. After a rumor went round that IP address blocks had turned up on eBay, the RIRs were compelled to begin discussing how to handle IPv4 black-marketeering. Three of the five RIRs — RIPE, ARIN and APNIC — have already prepared suggestions for transfer rules. Intensive discussions on the rules for IPv4 in the RIPE region were held at the RIPE meeting in Berlin."

Read full story: Heise Online

Related topics: IP Addressing, IPv6, Regional Registries