[This is a mini-FAQ from NSF Network News 01.03.]


INTERNIC (SM) REGISTRATION SERVICES FAQ

Are we in danger of running out of Class B addresses? What can I as a
user do to help?

A Class C number can accommodate up to 255 nodes on a single segment and
a Class B number can have up to 65,535 nodes. Most companies' networks
are larger than a single Class C but much smaller than a Class B. About
three years ago, the Internet community became very concerned about
depletion of Class B numbers and expansion of the upper level routing
tables. The response to this concern is the development of a classless
address system called Classless Internet Domain Routing (CIDR). This
method of addressing/routing allows Registration Services to allocate a
block of Class C numbers into customized CIDR blocks. Each CIDR block is
represented as a single set of routes in routing tables.

As a user of Internet address space, you can help by utilizing your
address space efficiently. You should work with the InterNIC or your
service provider when answering estimated growth and network topology
questions on the IP address template. The correct answer to these
questions will help determine how much and what type of address space to
allocate.

Who should I call to get my address and domain name?

The first thing you should do when connecting to the Internet is select
a service provider. The service provider should help you get IP address
space as well as a domain name.

Should I get a Class A, B, or C address?

Your provider will ask questions such as "How many nodes do you have
now? How many nodes do you estimate you will have in five years? How
many subnets do you have?", etc. These questions will help determine
what kind of IP allocation is appropriate. For more information, RFC
1466 gives some guidelines about IP address allocation.

I have an individual dialup account. Do I need to have an IP address and
domain name?

If you have a host account, then you do not need an IP address or domain
name since the host already has them. If you are using SLIP or PPP, you
will need to acquire an IP address from your service provider.  I want
my own domain name. How do I choose a good name? Who do I call to get
this name?

It helps to choose a name already familiar to others, including your
customers and suppliers. You can check to see if your domain name is
already taken by checking with Registration Services. Ask your service
provider to help register a domain name on your behalf.

When my service provider registers my IP address and domain name, who do
they actually belong to? Do I get to keep them forever?

The addresses and domain names belong to the contacts that are listed on
the applications. Ask your service provider to register your address and
your domain name directly to you, and give your Internet service
provider your organization's full contact information for your domains
and addresses.

What does InterNIC RS do all day?

We mostly respond to email.:-) The operations staff spends most of their
time responding to registration requests. The engineering staff handles
or approves of registration requests that are exceptional, as well as
develops software to increase efficiency of the registration process.

Copyright (c) 1994 by General Atomics.