diff --git a/cmd/metal-api/internal/datastore/migrations/06_childprefixlength.go b/cmd/metal-api/internal/datastore/migrations/06_childprefixlength.go
index f7d56961..940c5cbd 100644
--- a/cmd/metal-api/internal/datastore/migrations/06_childprefixlength.go
+++ b/cmd/metal-api/internal/datastore/migrations/06_childprefixlength.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package migrations
 
 import (
+	"net/netip"
+
 	r "gopkg.in/rethinkdb/rethinkdb-go.v6"
 
 	"github.com/metal-stack/metal-api/cmd/metal-api/internal/datastore"
@@ -34,21 +36,28 @@ func init() {
 				// TODO: does not work somehow
 				new := old
 
-				af, err := metal.GetAddressFamily(new.Prefixes)
+				var af metal.AddressFamily
+				parsed, err := netip.ParsePrefix(new.Prefixes[0].String())
 				if err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
-				if af != nil {
-					if new.AddressFamilies == nil {
-						new.AddressFamilies = make(map[metal.AddressFamily]bool)
-					}
-					new.AddressFamilies[*af] = true
+				if parsed.Addr().Is4() {
+					af = metal.IPv4AddressFamily
+				}
+				if parsed.Addr().Is6() {
+					af = metal.IPv6AddressFamily
 				}
+
+				if new.AddressFamilies == nil {
+					new.AddressFamilies = make(map[metal.AddressFamily]bool)
+				}
+				new.AddressFamilies[af] = true
+
 				if new.PrivateSuper {
 					if new.DefaultChildPrefixLength == nil {
 						new.DefaultChildPrefixLength = make(map[metal.AddressFamily]uint8)
 					}
-					new.DefaultChildPrefixLength[*af] = partition.PrivateNetworkPrefixLength
+					new.DefaultChildPrefixLength[af] = partition.PrivateNetworkPrefixLength
 				}
 				err = rs.UpdateNetwork(&old, &new)
 				if err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/metal-api/internal/ipam/ipam.go b/cmd/metal-api/internal/ipam/ipam.go
index f820187b..326dfc92 100644
--- a/cmd/metal-api/internal/ipam/ipam.go
+++ b/cmd/metal-api/internal/ipam/ipam.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ func (i *ipam) AllocateChildPrefix(ctx context.Context, parentPrefix metal.Prefi
 		Length: uint32(childLength),
 	}))
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error creating new prefix in ipam: %w", err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error creating new prefix from:%s in ipam: %w", parentPrefix.String(), err)
 	}
 
 	prefix, _, err := metal.NewPrefixFromCIDR(ipamPrefix.Msg.Prefix.Cidr)
diff --git a/cmd/metal-api/internal/metal/network.go b/cmd/metal-api/internal/metal/network.go
index f1b2e53b..eaff83bc 100644
--- a/cmd/metal-api/internal/metal/network.go
+++ b/cmd/metal-api/internal/metal/network.go
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
 package metal
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
 	"net"
 	"net/netip"
 	"strconv"
 
-	"github.com/metal-stack/metal-lib/pkg/pointer"
 	"github.com/samber/lo"
 )
 
@@ -351,21 +349,3 @@ func (nics Nics) ByIdentifier() map[string]*Nic {
 
 	return res
 }
-
-func GetAddressFamily(prefixes Prefixes) (*AddressFamily, error) {
-	if len(prefixes) == 0 {
-		return nil, nil
-	}
-
-	parsed, err := netip.ParsePrefix(prefixes[0].String())
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	if parsed.Addr().Is4() {
-		return pointer.Pointer(IPv4AddressFamily), nil
-	}
-	if parsed.Addr().Is6() {
-		return pointer.Pointer(IPv6AddressFamily), nil
-	}
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to detect addressfamily from prefixes:%v", prefixes)
-}
diff --git a/cmd/metal-api/internal/metal/network_test.go b/cmd/metal-api/internal/metal/network_test.go
index a62ad927..a7dcfddf 100644
--- a/cmd/metal-api/internal/metal/network_test.go
+++ b/cmd/metal-api/internal/metal/network_test.go
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"reflect"
 	"testing"
-
-	"github.com/metal-stack/metal-lib/pkg/pointer"
 )
 
 func TestNics_ByIdentifier(t *testing.T) {
@@ -337,47 +335,3 @@ func TestNicState_SetState(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
-
-func Test_getAddressFamily(t *testing.T) {
-	tests := []struct {
-		name     string
-		prefixes Prefixes
-		want     *AddressFamily
-		wantErr  bool
-	}{
-		{
-			name:     "ipv4",
-			prefixes: Prefixes{{IP: "10.0.0.0", Length: "8"}},
-			want:     pointer.Pointer(IPv4AddressFamily),
-		},
-		{
-			name:     "ipv6",
-			prefixes: Prefixes{{IP: "2001::", Length: "64"}},
-			want:     pointer.Pointer(IPv6AddressFamily),
-		},
-		{
-			name:     "empty prefixes",
-			prefixes: Prefixes{},
-			want:     nil,
-			wantErr:  false,
-		},
-		{
-			name:     "malformed ipv4",
-			prefixes: Prefixes{{IP: "10.0.0.0.0", Length: "6"}},
-			want:     nil,
-			wantErr:  true,
-		},
-	}
-	for _, tt := range tests {
-		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			got, err := GetAddressFamily(tt.prefixes)
-			if (err != nil) != tt.wantErr {
-				t.Errorf("getAddressFamily() error = %v, wantErr %v", err, tt.wantErr)
-				return
-			}
-			if !reflect.DeepEqual(got, tt.want) {
-				t.Errorf("getAddressFamily() = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
-			}
-		})
-	}
-}
diff --git a/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/async-actor.go b/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/async-actor.go
index b4284f1b..507f509e 100644
--- a/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/async-actor.go
+++ b/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/async-actor.go
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
 
+	"connectrpc.com/connect"
 	"github.com/metal-stack/metal-api/cmd/metal-api/internal/headscale"
 
-	ipamer "github.com/metal-stack/go-ipam"
 	"github.com/metal-stack/metal-api/cmd/metal-api/internal/datastore"
 	"github.com/metal-stack/metal-api/cmd/metal-api/internal/ipam"
 	"github.com/metal-stack/metal-api/cmd/metal-api/internal/metal"
@@ -216,12 +216,15 @@ func (a *asyncActor) releaseIP(ip metal.IP) error {
 
 	// now the IP should not exist any more in our datastore
 	// so cleanup the ipam
-	
+
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	err = a.ReleaseIP(ctx, ip)
 	if err != nil {
-		if errors.Is(err, ipamer.ErrNotFound) {
-			return nil
+		var connectErr *connect.Error
+		if errors.As(err, &connectErr) {
+			if connectErr.Code() == connect.CodeNotFound {
+				return nil
+			}
 		}
 		return fmt.Errorf("cannot release IP %q: %w", ip, err)
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/ip-service.go b/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/ip-service.go
index a0891385..0f65ae61 100644
--- a/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/ip-service.go
+++ b/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/ip-service.go
@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@ import (
 
 	v1 "github.com/metal-stack/metal-api/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/v1"
 
-	goipam "github.com/metal-stack/go-ipam"
-
 	restfulspec "github.com/emicklei/go-restful-openapi/v2"
 	restful "github.com/emicklei/go-restful/v3"
 	"github.com/metal-stack/metal-lib/httperrors"
@@ -471,10 +469,13 @@ func allocateRandomIP(ctx context.Context, parent *metal.Network, ipamer ipam.IP
 		}
 
 		ipAddress, err = ipamer.AllocateIP(ctx, prefix)
-		if err != nil && errors.Is(err, goipam.ErrNoIPAvailable) {
-			continue
-		}
 		if err != nil {
+			var connectErr *connect.Error
+			if errors.As(err, &connectErr) {
+				if connectErr.Code() == connect.CodeNotFound {
+					continue
+				}
+			}
 			return "", "", err
 		}
 
diff --git a/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/network-service.go b/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/network-service.go
index 49e95bd4..5dfbaa21 100644
--- a/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/network-service.go
+++ b/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/network-service.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"net/netip"
 
+	"connectrpc.com/connect"
 	mdmv1 "github.com/metal-stack/masterdata-api/api/v1"
 	mdm "github.com/metal-stack/masterdata-api/pkg/client"
 
@@ -605,7 +606,7 @@ func (r *networkResource) allocateNetwork(request *restful.Request, response *re
 
 	// Allow configurable prefix length per AF
 	length := superNetwork.DefaultChildPrefixLength
-	if requestPayload.Length != nil {
+	if len(requestPayload.Length) > 0 {
 		for af, l := range requestPayload.Length {
 			length[metal.ToAddressFamily(string(af))] = l
 		}
@@ -626,7 +627,7 @@ func (r *networkResource) allocateNetwork(request *restful.Request, response *re
 	r.log.Info("network allocate", "supernetwork", superNetwork.ID, "defaultchildprefixlength", superNetwork.DefaultChildPrefixLength, "length", length)
 
 	ctx := request.Request.Context()
-	nw, err := createChildNetwork(ctx, r.ds, r.ipamer, nwSpec, &superNetwork, length)
+	nw, err := r.createChildNetwork(ctx, nwSpec, &superNetwork, length)
 	if err != nil {
 		r.sendError(request, response, defaultError(err))
 		return
@@ -641,20 +642,20 @@ func (r *networkResource) allocateNetwork(request *restful.Request, response *re
 	r.send(request, response, http.StatusCreated, v1.NewNetworkResponse(nw, usage))
 }
 
-func createChildNetwork(ctx context.Context, ds *datastore.RethinkStore, ipamer ipam.IPAMer, nwSpec *metal.Network, parent *metal.Network, childLengths metal.ChildPrefixLength) (*metal.Network, error) {
-	vrf, err := acquireRandomVRF(ds)
+func (r *networkResource) createChildNetwork(ctx context.Context, nwSpec *metal.Network, parent *metal.Network, childLengths metal.ChildPrefixLength) (*metal.Network, error) {
+	vrf, err := acquireRandomVRF(r.ds)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not acquire a vrf: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	var childPrefixes = metal.Prefixes{}
 	for af, childLength := range childLengths {
-		childPrefix, err := createChildPrefix(ctx, parent.Prefixes, childLength, ipamer)
+		childPrefix, err := r.createChildPrefix(ctx, parent.Prefixes, af, childLength)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 		if childPrefix == nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not allocate child prefix in parent network: %s for addressfamily: %s", parent.ID, af)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not allocate child prefix in parent network: %s for addressfamily: %s length:%d", parent.ID, af, childLength)
 		}
 		childPrefixes = append(childPrefixes, *childPrefix)
 	}
@@ -678,7 +679,7 @@ func createChildNetwork(ctx context.Context, ds *datastore.RethinkStore, ipamer
 		AddressFamilies:     nwSpec.AddressFamilies,
 	}
 
-	err = ds.CreateNetwork(nw)
+	err = r.ds.CreateNetwork(nw)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -925,14 +926,31 @@ func getNetworkUsage(ctx context.Context, nw *metal.Network, ipamer ipam.IPAMer)
 	return usage, nil
 }
 
-func createChildPrefix(ctx context.Context, parentPrefixes metal.Prefixes, childLength uint8, ipamer ipam.IPAMer) (*metal.Prefix, error) {
-	var errors []error
-	var err error
-	var childPrefix *metal.Prefix
+func (r *networkResource) createChildPrefix(ctx context.Context, parentPrefixes metal.Prefixes, af metal.AddressFamily, childLength uint8) (*metal.Prefix, error) {
+	var (
+		errs        []error
+		childPrefix *metal.Prefix
+	)
 	for _, parentPrefix := range parentPrefixes {
-		childPrefix, err = ipamer.AllocateChildPrefix(ctx, parentPrefix, childLength)
+		pfx, err := netip.ParsePrefix(parentPrefix.String())
 		if err != nil {
-			errors = append(errors, err)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to parse prefix: %w", err)
+		}
+		if pfx.Addr().Is4() && af == metal.IPv6AddressFamily {
+			continue
+		}
+		if pfx.Addr().Is6() && af == metal.IPv4AddressFamily {
+			continue
+		}
+		childPrefix, err = r.ipamer.AllocateChildPrefix(ctx, parentPrefix, childLength)
+		if err != nil {
+			var connectErr *connect.Error
+			if errors.As(err, &connectErr) {
+				if connectErr.Code() == connect.CodeNotFound {
+					continue
+				}
+			}
+			errs = append(errs, err)
 			continue
 		}
 		if childPrefix != nil {
@@ -940,10 +958,10 @@ func createChildPrefix(ctx context.Context, parentPrefixes metal.Prefixes, child
 		}
 	}
 	if childPrefix == nil {
-		if len(errors) > 0 {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot allocate free child prefix in ipam: %v", errors)
+		if len(errs) > 0 {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot allocate free child prefix in ipam: %w", errors.Join(errs...))
 		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot allocate free child prefix in one of the given parent prefixes in ipam: %v", parentPrefixes)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot allocate free child prefix in one of the given parent prefixes in ipam: %s", parentPrefixes.String())
 	}
 
 	return childPrefix, nil
diff --git a/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/v1/network.go b/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/v1/network.go
index fd854531..b037db12 100644
--- a/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/v1/network.go
+++ b/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/v1/network.go
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ type NetworkImmutable struct {
 
 // NetworkUsage reports core metrics about available and used IPs or Prefixes in a Network.
 type NetworkUsage struct {
-	AvailableIPs      map[metal.AddressFamily]uint64 `json:"available_ips" description:"the total available IPs" readonly:"true"`
-	UsedIPs           map[metal.AddressFamily]uint64 `json:"used_ips" description:"the total used IPs" readonly:"true"`
-	AvailablePrefixes map[metal.AddressFamily]uint64 `json:"available_prefixes" description:"the total available 2 bit Prefixes" readonly:"true"`
-	UsedPrefixes      map[metal.AddressFamily]uint64 `json:"used_prefixes" description:"the total used Prefixes" readonly:"true"`
+	AvailableIPs      uint64 `json:"available_ips" description:"the total available IPs" readonly:"true"`
+	UsedIPs           uint64 `json:"used_ips" description:"the total used IPs" readonly:"true"`
+	AvailablePrefixes uint64 `json:"available_prefixes" description:"the total available 2 bit Prefixes" readonly:"true"`
+	UsedPrefixes      uint64 `json:"used_prefixes" description:"the total used Prefixes" readonly:"true"`
 }
 
 // NetworkCreateRequest is used to create a new Network.
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ type NetworkResponse struct {
 	Common
 	NetworkBase
 	NetworkImmutable
-	Usage NetworkUsage `json:"usage" description:"usage of ips and prefixes in this network" readonly:"true"`
+	Usage   NetworkUsage `json:"usage" description:"usage of IPv4 ips and prefixes in this network" readonly:"true"`
+	UsageV6 NetworkUsage `json:"usagev6" description:"usage of IPv6 ips and prefixes in this network" readonly:"true"`
 	Timestamps
 }
 
@@ -86,6 +87,8 @@ func NewNetworkResponse(network *metal.Network, usage *metal.NetworkUsage) *Netw
 
 	var (
 		parentNetworkID *string
+		usagev4         NetworkUsage
+		usagev6         NetworkUsage
 	)
 
 	if network.ParentNetworkID != "" {
@@ -96,6 +99,25 @@ func NewNetworkResponse(network *metal.Network, usage *metal.NetworkUsage) *Netw
 		labels = make(map[string]string)
 	}
 
+	for af := range network.AddressFamilies {
+		if af == metal.IPv4AddressFamily {
+			usagev4 = NetworkUsage{
+				AvailableIPs:      usage.AvailableIPs[af],
+				UsedIPs:           usage.UsedIPs[af],
+				AvailablePrefixes: usage.AvailablePrefixes[af],
+				UsedPrefixes:      usage.UsedPrefixes[af],
+			}
+		}
+		if af == metal.IPv6AddressFamily {
+			usagev6 = NetworkUsage{
+				AvailableIPs:      usage.AvailableIPs[af],
+				UsedIPs:           usage.UsedIPs[af],
+				AvailablePrefixes: usage.AvailablePrefixes[af],
+				UsedPrefixes:      usage.UsedPrefixes[af],
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	return &NetworkResponse{
 		Common: Common{
 			Identifiable: Identifiable{
@@ -123,12 +145,8 @@ func NewNetworkResponse(network *metal.Network, usage *metal.NetworkUsage) *Netw
 			ParentNetworkID:          parentNetworkID,
 			AddressFamilies:          network.AddressFamilies,
 		},
-		Usage: NetworkUsage{
-			AvailableIPs:      usage.AvailableIPs,
-			UsedIPs:           usage.UsedIPs,
-			AvailablePrefixes: usage.AvailablePrefixes,
-			UsedPrefixes:      usage.UsedPrefixes,
-		},
+		Usage:   usagev4,
+		UsageV6: usagev6,
 		Timestamps: Timestamps{
 			Created: network.Created,
 			Changed: network.Changed,
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index d8e197ca..b9d13f77 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/cespare/xxhash/v2 v2.3.0 // indirect
 	github.com/containerd/containerd v1.7.19 // indirect
 	github.com/containerd/log v0.1.0 // indirect
+	github.com/containerd/platforms v0.2.1 // indirect
 	github.com/coreos/go-oidc/v3 v3.10.0 // indirect
 	github.com/coreos/go-semver v0.3.1 // indirect
 	github.com/coreos/go-systemd/v22 v22.5.0 // indirect
@@ -151,6 +152,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/modern-go/reflect2 v1.0.2 // indirect
 	github.com/montanaflynn/stats v0.7.1 // indirect
 	github.com/morikuni/aec v1.0.0 // indirect
+	github.com/munnerz/goautoneg v0.0.0-20191010083416-a7dc8b61c822 // indirect
 	github.com/ncruces/go-strftime v0.1.9 // indirect
 	github.com/oklog/ulid v1.3.1 // indirect
 	github.com/opencontainers/go-digest v1.0.0 // indirect
diff --git a/spec/metal-api.json b/spec/metal-api.json
index 81141fd9..ce13495f 100644
--- a/spec/metal-api.json
+++ b/spec/metal-api.json
@@ -3968,7 +3968,11 @@
         },
         "usage": {
           "$ref": "#/definitions/v1.NetworkUsage",
-          "description": "usage of ips and prefixes in this network"
+          "description": "usage of IPv4 ips and prefixes in this network"
+        },
+        "usagev6": {
+          "$ref": "#/definitions/v1.NetworkUsage",
+          "description": "usage of IPv6 ips and prefixes in this network"
         },
         "vrf": {
           "description": "the vrf this network is associated with",
@@ -3988,7 +3992,8 @@
         "prefixes",
         "privatesuper",
         "underlay",
-        "usage"
+        "usage",
+        "usagev6"
       ]
     },
     "v1.NetworkUpdateRequest": {
@@ -4038,32 +4043,24 @@
     "v1.NetworkUsage": {
       "properties": {
         "available_ips": {
-          "additionalProperties": {
-            "type": "integer"
-          },
           "description": "the total available IPs",
-          "type": "object"
+          "format": "integer",
+          "type": "integer"
         },
         "available_prefixes": {
-          "additionalProperties": {
-            "type": "integer"
-          },
           "description": "the total available 2 bit Prefixes",
-          "type": "object"
+          "format": "integer",
+          "type": "integer"
         },
         "used_ips": {
-          "additionalProperties": {
-            "type": "integer"
-          },
           "description": "the total used IPs",
-          "type": "object"
+          "format": "integer",
+          "type": "integer"
         },
         "used_prefixes": {
-          "additionalProperties": {
-            "type": "integer"
-          },
           "description": "the total used Prefixes",
-          "type": "object"
+          "format": "integer",
+          "type": "integer"
         }
       },
       "required": [