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RIPE NCC
What is RIPE NCC?
The RIPE NCC (Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre) is one of the five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) responsible for managing and distributing Internet number resources – primarily IP addresses and Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs) – across a vast service region that covers Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Central Asia.
Established as a not-for-profit membership association under Dutch law, the RIPE NCC serves as both a registry and a coordination hub. It operates with strong community involvement through the broader RIPE community, an open forum where network operators, policymakers, and other stakeholders develop policies collaboratively. While the RIPE community discusses and shapes the rules, the RIPE NCC implements them, ensuring fair, transparent, and stable allocation of scarce Internet resources.
Brief History of RIPE NCC
The roots of RIPE (Réseaux IP Européens) trace back to 1989, when European network engineers began informal meetings to coordinate IP networking as the Internet expanded beyond its academic origins. As commercial use grew, the need for a formal registry became clear.
In 1992, the RIPE NCC was founded in Amsterdam by a group of European ISPs and became the first Regional Internet Registry. Initially a volunteer-driven activity hosted at institutions like CERN, it quickly professionalised. The early years focused on allocating IPv4 addresses from blocks delegated by IANA and establishing the first ASNs in the region.
The IPv4 exhaustion era began shaping its work from the late 2000s onward. By 2012, the RIPE NCC entered the final phase of IPv4 allocation, and in 2019 it fully exhausted its available pool, turning to a strict waiting-list policy for small remaining recoveries. IPv6 deployment became a major focus, alongside routing security initiatives. Through the 2020s, the organisation expanded services in measurement tools, training, and global coordination while maintaining its community-driven governance model.
How RIPE NCC Works
The RIPE NCC operates at the intersection of technical administration, community policy-making, and global coordination. Its core role is to act as the trusted steward of Internet number resources in its region, ensuring they are allocated according to transparent, consensus-based policies.
Policy Development Process
Policies are not decided top-down but emerge through the RIPE Policy Development Process (PDP). Anyone can propose changes, discuss them openly on mailing lists and at RIPE meetings (held twice yearly), and reach rough consensus. Once accepted, the RIPE NCC implements the policy – whether it concerns IPv4 transfers, IPv6 minimum allocations, or ASN requirements.
This bottom-up approach distinguishes RIRs from traditional regulatory bodies and keeps policies aligned with real-world operational needs.
Resource Registration and the RIPE Database
Central to operations is the RIPE Database, a public registry that records who holds which IP addresses and ASNs, routing information, and contact details. Accurate data here is essential for troubleshooting, security, and routing integrity.
When a member requests resources, the RIPE NCC evaluates the request against current policy, assigns from its pool (or facilitates transfers), and registers the allocation. The database also supports authentication objects for routing security (ROAs via RPKI).
Example Database Entry (simplified): inetnum: 193.0.0.0 - 193.0.23.255 netname: RIPE-NCC descr: RIPE Network Coordination Centre country: NL admin-c: RIPE1-RIPE tech-c: RIPE1-RIPE status: LEGACY mnt-by: RIPE-NCC-MNT
Membership and Funding
The organisation is funded primarily by its members – Local Internet Registries (LIRs), mostly ISPs and large organisations – who pay annual fees based on their resource holdings. Membership grants access to request resources and participate in governance.
Resource Allocation and Policies
The RIPE NCC manages:
- IPv4: Exhausted since 2019; limited allocations from recovered space and active transfer market.
- IPv6: Generous allocations (typically /29 minimum) to encourage deployment.
- ASNs: Both 16-bit (legacy) and 32-bit, allocated upon demonstrated need (usually multi-homing).
- Legacy Resources: Pre-RIR holdings now under contract for better registry accuracy.
| Resource Type | Current Status (2026) | Key Policy Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IPv4 | Exhausted pool; waiting list & transfers | Max /24 from waiting list; transfers allowed |
| IPv6 | Abundant | Initial /32 (or larger) for all LIRs |
| ASNs | 32-bit primary | Need-based; multi-homing justification |
Key Players and Membership
With over 20,000 members in 2026, ranging from small regional ISPs to global giants like Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, and Cloudflare, the RIPE NCC serves a diverse region. The Executive Board, elected by members, oversees operations, while staff in Amsterdam handle day-to-day registry functions.
It coordinates closely with the other four RIRs (ARIN, APNIC, LACNIC, AFRINIC) through the Number Resource Organization (NRO) and participates in global Internet governance forums.
Practical Uses and Services
Beyond allocation, the RIPE NCC provides valuable tools and services:
- RIPE Atlas – the world’s largest Internet measurement network with thousands of probes
- RIPEstat – comprehensive statistics and visualisation platform
- Routing Information Service (RIS) – collects BGP data for routing analysis
- Training courses and certification for network operators
- Support for RPKI deployment to secure routing
These services help operators monitor performance, detect anomalies, and improve network resilience.
Challenges and Limitations
IPv4 scarcity has led to a thriving (and sometimes controversial) transfer market. Regional geopolitical tensions occasionally affect membership and operations. Maintaining database accuracy remains an ongoing challenge, as does encouraging full IPv6 adoption in a still IPv4-dominant world.
Routing security threats – hijacks, leaks, and misconfigurations – keep RPKI and measurement tools critical. Balancing openness with accountability in a large, diverse region is a constant effort.
RIPE NCC in Modern Networking
In the 2020s, the RIPE NCC has become a leader in routing security and measurement infrastructure. Its tools are used globally, even outside its region. With IPv6 now carrying the majority of traffic in many European countries, the focus has shifted toward full transition support, resource certification, and data-driven policy-making.
As new technologies like low-Earth-orbit constellations and edge computing emerge, the RIPE NCC continues adapting policies to ensure sustainable resource management while fostering innovation.
Summary
The RIPE NCC stands as a cornerstone of European and regional Internet infrastructure – a community-driven organisation that has managed the evolution from IPv4 abundance to scarcity, championed IPv6, and built essential measurement and security tools. Its transparent, consensus-based model demonstrates how the Internet can be governed collaboratively. As the digital landscape continues to grow more complex, the RIPE NCC remains vital in ensuring stable, secure, and equitable access to critical Internet resources.
References
- RIPE NCC Official Website
- RIPE Policy Development Process
- IPv4 Address Space Report (Royce & Caffrey)
- IANA and NRO documentation
Sources
Information compiled from the official RIPE NCC website, RIPE meeting documents, policy archives, RIPEstat, public registry data, and industry resources up to 2026.