The RIPE NCC (Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre) is one of five Regional Internet Registries worldwide. It manages Internet resources such as IPv4 and IPv6 addresses and Autonomous System Numbers in Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Central Asia. The organization is independent, non-profit, and headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, with a branch office in Dubai. It was founded in 1992, based on the 1989 RIPE Forum, which promoted exchange via IP networks. It achieved legal independence in 1997.
With nearly 20,000 members, including Internet service providers, telecommunications companies, universities, and corporations, RIPE NCC is open to everyone, with no membership required for many services. The RIPE community, an open forum, develops policies via mailing lists, working groups, and biannual meetings, such as the upcoming RIPE 91 in Bucharest in October 2025. These policies, such as those on address allocation, are developed through an open process in which anyone can submit proposals.
With nearly 20,000 members, including Internet service providers, telecommunications companies, universities, and corporations, the RIPE NCC is open to everyone, with membership not required for many services. The RIPE community, an open forum, develops policies via mailing lists, working groups, and biannual meetings, such as the upcoming RIPE 91 in Bucharest in October 2025. These policies, such as those on address allocation, are developed through an open process in which anyone can submit proposals.
The main task is the fair distribution of Internet addresses. Since 2019, IPv4 addresses have been exhausted, and new allocations are only made through returns or transfers, with waiting times of over 540 days for small blocks. For IPv6, additional justifications for larger allocations have been required since 2024. The RIPE NCC also operates the RIPE Database for address usage, a routing registry, and Whois services. It promotes IPv6, supports technical projects such as DNS security, and organizes events, such as an online event on fellowship on September 15, 2025. Collaborations, such as with Serbia or APTLD, strengthen regional Internet development.
RIPE Atlas is a global measurement system launched in 2010 to monitor network performance. It uses thousands of small devices, called probes, hosted by volunteers worldwide. These measure latency, routing, or DNS queries. In 2022, there were about 12,000 probes and over 800 more powerful anchors, supported by community promoters. Probes are small, USB-powered devices that run behind routers or software on virtual machines. Anchors are larger devices for data centers. They require an internet connection, communicate via SSH, and consume little bandwidth. Automatic tests include pings, traceroutes, or DNS queries, while users can initiate their own measurements, such as website load times.
The collected data is publicly available at atlas.ripe.net, visualized as maps or analyses. It helps with troubleshooting, security analyses, or monitoring network outages, for example during natural disasters. Volunteers can register online to host probes. Restrictions include low measurement limits and the need for a stable connection.
Headquarters and offices:
Headquarters in Amsterdam (Netherlands), with a branch office in Dubai (UAE).
Members:
At the end of 2024, RIPE NCC had nearly 20,000 members in over 120 countries (mainly in the service region, but also beyond). Members include Internet service providers (ISPs), telecommunications companies, educational institutions, governments, regulatory authorities, and large corporations. Any person or organization can become a member; however, membership is not a prerequisite for using many services.
Governance:
The RIPE community (open to all) interacts via mailing lists, working groups, and biannual RIPE meetings. Policies (e.g., for address assignments) are developed through the RIPE Policy Development Process (PDP) – proposals can be submitted by anyone. The NRO Number Council (NRO NC) coordinates with other RIRs; current discussions are underway, for example, on Governance Document Version 2 (feedback due by November 7, 2025).
Staff and resources:
The organization has local Internet registries (LIRs) in over 75 countries that provide local support. It emphasizes transparency through a public database.
TL-MR3020 is Disconnected (since 2025-06-24 20:58:20 Local)
TL-MR3020 is Connected (since 2025-09-13 16:39:57 Local)