IP address block management in the Americas region

The history of IP addresses, as everything in Internet, is rich in events and is the generator of new technologies. In these paragraphs we will give a screen shot of this history referred to the IP address management, starting in March 1972 when Vint Cerf and Jon Postel established the “Socket Registry” based on RFC 322, later on published in December that same year, 1972, giving birth to IP history. (RFC 322, RFC 433)

In September 1981 a working group on networks at the Information Sciences Institute (SIS) of the University of Southern California (USC) published RFC 790 (Request For Comments) on the assignment of numbers for the implementation of networks which could be obtained through a request made to Jon Postel, the instructions would only say “Contact Jon”, Jon Postel’s long career would come to an end, when he died in 1998.

After over thirty years, the methodology for requesting IP addresses has changed “a little” and a protocol of study became the preferred tool for establishing communications worldwide.

In early 1988, IANA “Internet Assigned Numbers Authority” is created by virtue of a contract between the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Information Sciences Institute (ISI).

Later, in 1992 the DDN NIC (Defense Data Network Network Information Center), which was then transformed into InterNic (Internet Network Information Center) starts to operate in the United States, managing all America and southern Africa.

In 1993 APNIC (Asia Pacific Network Information Centre) is created, which starts to manage IP addresses in Asia / Pacific.

In 1997 ARIN (American Registry for Internet Numbers) is created in USA, taking over InterNic’s tasks in the region, 

In December 1998 the University of Southern California (USC) begins the execution of a transition agreement with ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). Which entered into effect in January 1999.

In 1998 APNIC moves its headquarters to Australia, and ICANN is created, which in 1999 signs a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ASO (Address Supporting Organization), an entity created by the RIR´s (Regional Internet Registry).

In 2002 ICANN grants final authorization to LACNIC for the management of IP addresses of Latin America and the Caribbean, thus ARIN remained managing United Status, Canada and South Africa.

In April 2005, ICANN formally authorizes the operation of AFRINIC which will be responsible for the management of IP addresses of all Africa. In the following map the distribution of the responsibilities of the RIR’s in the World is shown.

Current Map of the IP addresses management in the World

“Arin” Registry for IP addresses manages 26 regions, namely:

“Lacnic” Registry for IP addresses manages 29 regions, namely

Oscar Messano
Cámara Argentina de Base de datos y servicios en Línea