CIDR Address Allocation Example
For this example, assume that an ISP owns the address block 200.25.0.0/16. This block represents 65, 536 (2 16 ) IP addresses (or 256 /24s).
From the 200.25.0.0/16 block it wants to allocate the 200.25.16.0/20 address block . This smaller block represents 4,096 (2 12 ) IP addresses (or 16 /24s).
Address Block 11001000.00011001.00010000.00000000 200.25.16.0/20
In a classful environment, the ISP is forced to use the /20 as 16 individual /24s.
Figure 29: Slicing the Pie - Classful Environment
However, in a classless environment, the ISP is free to cut up the pie any way it wants. It could slice up the original pie into 2 pieces (each 1/2 of the address space) and assign one portion to Organization A, then cut the other half into 2 pieces (each 1/4 of the address space) and assign one piece to Organization B, and finally slice the remaining fourth into 2 pieces (each 1/8 of the address space) and assign it to Organization C and Organization D. Each of the individual organizations is free to allocate the address space within its "Intranetwork" as it sees fit. This is illustrated in Figure 30.
Figure 30: Slicing the Pie - Classless Environment
Step #1: Divide the address block 200.25.16.0/20 into two equal size slices. Each block represents one-half of the address space or 2,048 (2 11 ) IP addresses.
ISP's Block 11001000.00011001.00010000.00000000 200.25.16.0/20
Org A: 11001000.00011001.00010000.00000000 200.25.16.0/21
Reserved: 11001000.00011001.00011000.00000000 200.25.24.0/21
Step #2: Divide the reserved block (200.25.24.0/21) into two equal size slices. Each
block represents one-fourth of
the address space or 1,024 (2 10 ) IP addresses.
Reserved 11001000.00011001.00011000.00000000 200.25.24.0/21
Org B: 11001000.00011001.00011000.00000000 200.25.24.0/22
Reserved 11001000.00011001.00011100.00000000 200.25.28.0/22
Step #3: Divide the reserved address block (200.25.28.0/22) into two equal size blocks. Each block represents one-eight of the address space or 512 (2 9 ) IP addresses.
Reserved 11001000.00011001.00011100.00000000 200.25.28.0/22
Org C: 11001000.00011001.00011100.00000000 200.25.28.0/23
Org D: 11001000.00011001.00011110.00000000 200.25.30.0/23