Sample of Static IP Recycling Facility (SIRF) "notification" mail: Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2007 02:45:12 -0400 (EDT) From: oit@princeton.edu (Office of Information Technology) To: amjdoe@princeton.edu, jqxsmith@princeton.edu Subject: IP address 128.112.232.3 will be recycled from Host Database entry nsg-example.Princeton.EDU August 21 2007 02:45:12 The following device is assigned OIT Static IP Address 128.112.232.3, but has not used that address for a year or more: Name: nsg-example DNS Domain: Princeton.EDU Entry Type: HOST Interface[1] Type: Ethernet Interface[1] MACaddress: 0:2:a8:7f:b:a3 Interface[1] Subnet: towernet Interface[1] IPAddress: 128.112.232.3 Interface[2] Type: Wireless Interface[2] MACaddress: 0:65:3:a8:b9:3e Interface[2] Subnet: wirelessnet Interface[2] IPAddress: 172.30.254.253 System Type: APPLE-MACINTOSH Operating System: MAC-OS-X OIT NIS NetGroup: princetonhosts OIT NIS NetGroup: princetonunixhosts Technical Contact: amjdoe@princeton.edu Technical Contact: jqxsmith@princeton.edu Building: 87 Prospect Ave. Room: 5A Department: Basketweaving Account: 123-4567 Date Created: 2004-03-21 Date Last Changed: 2005-08-05 OIT Static IP Service provides an unchanging IP address and DNS hostname to a device's network interface, when that network interface is attached to its "home" network. (The network interface's "home" network is the "IP Subnet" specified in the device's entry in the Princeton University Host Database.) OIT Static IP Addresses are a finite resource. If an OIT Static IP Address is unused for a year or more, we assume that the device no longer needs that IP address. The OIT Static IP Recycling Facility (SIRF) "recycles" the IP address. This helps the University preserve a supply of OIT Static IP addresses. You are listed as a "Technical Contact" in the device's Host Database entry. This notice has been sent to you because IP address 128.112.232.3 has not been used for a year or more: Host Database entry name: nsg-example.Princeton.EDU OIT Static IP address: 128.112.232.3 Date this IP address was assigned: on April 8 2005 Date this IP address was last used: August 20 2006 This notice doesn't mean that we believe the *device* has been unused. It only means that this particular *IP address* has been unused for a long time. The device may be in active use on the campus network -- just not using that OIT Static IP Address. (If the device has more than one network interface (e.g. Ethernet, Wireless), perhaps the device is attached via a different network interface than the one assigned the OIT Static IP Address above. Or perhaps the device is attached to a different subnet, using OIT Mobile IP Service. Or perhaps the device is using OIT Wireless Service, which doesn't use OIT Static IP Addresses.) OIT will change this device's Host Database entry to recycle IP address 128.112.232.3. Specifically, we will change the entry to remove that OIT Static IP address. That IP address will be replaced with a new IP address on 'recyclenet'. The recyclenet IP address will not be an OIT Static IP Address; it will act instead as a placeholder in the Host Database entry. Soon you will receive email indicating that the Host Database change has been made. In most cases, there's nothing you need to do: * If your device's network interface will be reconnected via OIT Ethernet Service in the future and is configured to use DHCP, in most cases you need do nothing. When reconnected, the device's network interface will automatically obtain service via OIT Mobile IP Service. If it uses OIT Mobile IP Service for fourteen days or more, a new OIT Static IP Address will be assigned automatically to the device's network interface. * If your device's network interface will be reconnected via OIT Wireless Service in the future and is configured to use DHCP, you need do nothing. When reconnected, the device's network interface will automatically obtain service. * If your device will not be reconnected to the campus network, you need do nothing. But it's a good idea to delete the entry from the Host Database, as some entries result in charges. You can do that at: https://www.net.princeton.edu/hostmaster/deleteEntry.html And also review the item below about "manually configured" devices. * If your device's network interface is manually configured with its IP address (it doesn't use DHCP or BootP to learn its IP address), please reconfigure the device so it will not use the old OIT Static IP Address in the future. (If your device were to resume using that IP address in the future, it would interfere with service to any other device assigned that IP address.) If in the future you choose to reconnect it, at that time you will need either to update its Host Database entry to assign a new OIT Static IP Address (and reconfigure the device to use that new address), or reconfigure the device to use DHCP to learn its new OIT Static IP Address. * If none of the common cases above describe your situation, please see https://www.net.princeton.edu/SIRF/index.html#whattodo for less-common scenarios. If you would like more detailed information about SIRF, please see https://www.net.princeton.edu/SIRF/