On Tue, Sep 18, 2012 at 3:17 PM, Paul Thornton <p...@prt.org> wrote: > On 18/09/2012 15:07, Eugen Leitl wrote: >> >> >> >> http://paritynews.com/network/item/325-department-of-work-and-pensions-uk-in-possession-of-169-million-unused-ipv4-addresses >> >> Department of Work and Pensions UK in Possession of 16.9 Million Unused >> IPv4 >> Addresses > > > The only slight snag in his argument is that the addresses are not unused. > Not announced != Not used.
And for the definitive answer on this block, the official response is: http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/internet_protocol_ipv4_address_a and http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/internet_protocol_ipv4_address_a_2 >1. We can confirm that the address block is assigned to the DWP. > >2. In principle, none of the address space is exposed to the public Internet. >There may be a very small number of addresses that have been exposed for >specific purposes, but certainly no significant block of addresses is visible >from the public Internet. > >3. The address space is already shared across government. We have used or >allocated approximately 80% of the address space, and have earmarked the >remaining space for use within the proposed Public Services Network (PSN). >The PSN is building an Internet for government, and the DWP address space >is a key building block for delivery of this. > >4. DWP have no plans to release any of the address space for use on the public >Internet. The cost and complexity of re-addressing the existing government >estate is too high to make this a viable proposition. DWP are aware that the >worldwide IPv4 address space is almost exhausted, but knows that in the >short to medium term there are mechanisms available to ISPs that will allow >continued expansion of the Internet, and believes that in the long term a >transition to IPv6 will resolve address exhaustion. Note that even if DWP were >able to release their address space, this would only delay IPv4 address >exhaustion by a number of months. And for 25.0.0.0 to 25.255.255.255 the response from the Ministry of Defense is: >I can confirm that the IPv4 address block about which you enquire is assigned >to and >owned by the MOD; however, I should point out that within this block, none of >the >addresses or address ranges are in use on the public internet for departmental >IT, >communications or other functions. To date, we estimate that around 60% of >the IPv4 >address block has been allocated for internal use. As I am sure you will >appreciate, the >volume and complexity of the Information Systems used by the Armed Forces >supporting >military operations and for training continues to develop and grow. We are >aware that the >allocation of IPv4 addresses are becoming exhausted, and the issue has been >recognised >within the Department as a potential future IS risk. >In summary, therefore, we are unable to consider releasing parts of the >address block that >has been allocated to the UKMOD for reassignment to non-UK Government >organisations.