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IP Blocks

IP Blocks are a standalone, service-independent resource for Internet IP addressing, managed as persistent resources with their own lifecycle. Customers can purchase Equinix-assigned IP Blocks (/30 to /24) or bring and register their own provider-independent address space, which must be a minimum of /24.

IP Blocks can move between deployments and be deleted or reused when no longer needed, without losing ownership or deallocating a service. IP Blocks are available across all metros and provide a consistent IP management experience across Internet Access, Fabric, and future interconnection services.

Capabilities​

  • Purchase and manage IP Blocks independently of any service.
  • Bring and register customer‑owned provider‑independent address space.
  • Attach, detach, or reassign IP Blocks across supported Equinix services without deleting services or renumbering IPs.
  • Track, reuse, and delete IP Blocks through a managed lifecycle.

Service Impact​

IP Blocks provide continuity for IP addressing during migrations, redesigns, multi-service deployments, and service transitions. Customers can retain IPs when moving between Internet Access, avoiding renumbering or loss of addressing.

By decoupling IP addressing from individual services, IP Blocks remove the need to delete a service to free subnets. This reduces operational risk and enables customers to maintain a service-agnostic IP inventory.

The standalone IP Block experience is currently supported for Internet Access with Fabric and Internet Access with Network Edge. The IP Block inventory displays IP Blocks allocated to these services, and customers can attach, detach, and manage IP Blocks using lifecycle capabilities.

important

Existing Internet Access customers using a Fabric port or a Network Edge device are affected by this change. Terminating the Internet Access service does not automatically terminate the associated IP Block. Discontinuing IP Blocks requires a separate termination order.

Internet Access IP Blocks​

IP Blocks are used in conjunction with other Equinix products, starting with Internet Access. This capability supports use cases where IP Blocks are managed independently of a specific service. IP Blocks are intended to be usable separately from Internet Access and associated with a chosen network service provider.

IP Block sourcing​

There are two major types of IP Blocks supported with Internet Access:

  • Equinix-assigned - IP Blocks are allocated and billed by Equinix. Available options include:

    • IPv4 subnets - /30, /29, /28, /27, /26, /25, /24
    • IPv6 subnets - /64, /48

  • Customer-assigned - Customers bring their own subnet and register it with Equinix. Subnet must be at least /24. For details, see IP Address Allocation.

If additional public IP addresses are required, customers can request IP blocks through Internet Access with Fabric or Internet Access with Network Edge. These blocks are used alongside the customer’s existing IP space. If the Internet Access service is deleted, the IP Block is unlinked and remains in the inventory.

Using IP Blocks with Internet Access​

IP Blocks are supported by Internet Access services, including Internet Access with Fabric and Internet Access with Network Edge. During Internet Access service creation, an available IP Block can be selected and is automatically associated with and used by the service.

  • From Internet Access, go to IP Blocks Inventory to order new IP blocks.

  • After creation, an IP Block appears in the IP Blocks inventory, which shows whether an IP Block is in use by a service.

  • Customers advertise their address space from one or multiple Internet Access locations, provided that the appropriate route authorizations and Internet Registry records are in place and the advertisements are valid in the global routing system. Equinix does not restrict multi‑metro advertisements.

  • Customers advertise both Customer-assigned LAN IP space and Equinix-assigned IP Blocks simultaneously via BGP when using Internet Access with Fabric or Internet Access with Network Edge.

Restrictions and Validation​

  • Equinix-owned IP Blocks are designated for a specific metro and can be used only by Internet Access services within that metro.

    • Equinix-owned IP Block sizes:
      • IPv4 - /30 to /24
      • IPv6 - /64, /48

  • Customer-owned IP Blocks must be registered in IRR. Read about IP Address Allocation.

    • Customer-owned IP Block sizes:
      • IPv4 - /24 and larger
      • IPv6 - /48 and larger

  • Customer-owned IP Blocks can be shared by BGP Internet Access services across different metros.

  • Equinix-owned IP Blocks can be shared by BGP Internet Access services within the same metro as the IP Block.

  • Direct and Static Internet Access services cannot share IP Blocks.

  • When updating IP Blocks, the following validations apply:

    • The total number of IP Blocks must not exceed 100.
    • All IP Blocks must contain valid, unique IPv4 and/or IPv6 addresses in CIDR notation.
    • IP Blocks requested for removal must already exist in the service.
    • New customer‑provided (PI) IP Blocks must not already exist in the service.
    • At least one IP Block must remain associated with the service.
    • Customer‑provided (PI) IP Blocks must pass ownership and authorization validation.

Pricing and Billing​

  • Equinix-owned IP Blocks are billable according to current pricing.
  • Customer-owned IP Blocks are not billed.

Service-Level Information​

Service-level agreement information, including performance characteristics, is documented in the Equinix Internet Access data sheet and the Equinix Internet Access product policy.

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