# IP network research roadmap

## Next addresses and ranges

Expand by **semantically important ranges**, not by blindly incrementing every IPv4 address:

1. Special-purpose baseline: `0.0.0.0/8`, RFC 1918 private ranges, shared address space, loopback, link-local, documentation, benchmarking, multicast, and reserved space.
2. Public resolver landmarks: `1.1.1.1`, `8.8.8.8`, `9.9.9.9`, and their IPv6 counterparts.
3. DNS root-server identities and their anycast origin/operator relationships.
4. Representative addresses from each RIR service region.
5. Major cloud, CDN, transit, access, and public-sector networks selected by transparent criteria.

## Automation backlog

- [ ] Download IANA IPv4 and IPv6 special-purpose registries.
- [ ] Implement IANA RDAP bootstrap discovery instead of hard-coding one RIR.
- [ ] Cache source observations with timestamps and respectful rate limits.
- [ ] Add BGP multi-origin and more-specific-prefix handling.
- [ ] Add RPKI validity and ROA evidence.
- [ ] Normalize ASN and organization records instead of repeating names.
- [ ] Generate human-readable address pages from reviewed data.
- [ ] Add tests for IPv4/IPv6 parsing and special-purpose precedence.

## Guardrails

- Do not scan hosts or ports merely to populate the directory.
- Do not equate WHOIS/RDAP registration with legal ownership or current operation.
- Do not publish private contact details.
- Do not infer physical location from registration country alone.
- Do not claim one BGP collector provides complete global truth.