IANA and IP Address Governance
Understand how IANA, ICANN, and the multistakeholder model govern IP address allocation and internet numbering resources.
What Is IANA?
The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) is responsible for the global coordination of IP addresses, Autonomous System (AS) numbers, DNS root zone management, and protocol parameters. IANA is a set of functions performed by the Public Technical Identifiers (PTI) organization, an affiliate of ICANN.
IANA does not assign IP addresses directly to end users. Instead, it manages the top-level pool and delegates blocks to the five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs).
The IANA Functions
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| IP address allocation | Distributes IPv4 and IPv6 blocks to RIRs |
| AS number allocation | Assigns Autonomous System numbers to RIRs |
| DNS root zone | Manages the content of the root zone file |
| Protocol parameters | Maintains registries for port numbers, protocol numbers, etc. |
| Special-purpose addresses | Manages reserved ranges (loopback, private, documentation) |
The Multistakeholder Model
Internet governance follows a multistakeholder model where governments, the private sector, civil society, and technical community all participate in decision-making. This is distinct from traditional top-down regulation.
Key organizations in the ecosystem:
- ICANN -- Coordinates DNS and IP address policies through community-driven processes.
- IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) -- Develops internet standards and protocols through open, consensus-based processes.
- IGF (Internet Governance Forum) -- UN-convened forum for policy dialogue.
- RIRs -- Develop regional IP allocation policies through open policy development processes.
How IP Policies Are Made
Address management policies are developed through an open, bottom-up process at each RIR:
- Anyone can submit a policy proposal.
- The community discusses it on mailing lists and at public meetings.
- Consensus is evaluated by the RIR's policy development process.
- If consensus is reached, the RIR board ratifies the policy.
This means that the rules governing how IP addresses are allocated are not dictated by a single authority but shaped by the community of network operators, registries, and other stakeholders.
The IANA Stewardship Transition
In 2016, the US government completed the IANA stewardship transition, transferring its oversight of IANA functions from the US Department of Commerce (NTIA) to the global multistakeholder community via ICANN. This was a landmark event in internet governance, ensuring that no single government controls the critical numbering resources of the internet.
Special-Purpose Address Registries
IANA maintains registries of addresses reserved for special purposes:
0.0.0.0/8-- "This network"10.0.0.0/8-- Private use (RFC 1918)100.64.0.0/10-- Shared address space / CGNAT (RFC 6598)127.0.0.0/8-- Loopback169.254.0.0/16-- Link-local (APIPA)172.16.0.0/12-- Private use (RFC 1918)192.0.2.0/24-- Documentation (TEST-NET-1)192.168.0.0/16-- Private use (RFC 1918)198.51.100.0/24-- Documentation (TEST-NET-2)203.0.113.0/24-- Documentation (TEST-NET-3)