RIPE Internet Network Numbers Template

D.Karrenberg

Aug 1992

To whom it may concern,

The RIPE Network Coordination Centre now handles all requests for IP network numbers from European organisations. Our aim is to provide a rapid and efficient service to all European organisations. As this is a recent initiative, procedures for handling network number requests are in the process of being established. Therefore we apologise in advance for any duplication of effort that may be required by you due to new forms and templates. As the European NIC, we require different information to that required by the US and for it to be presented in a format which is both easy for you to complete and for us to process. Before your application can be processed any further, you will need to complete the enclosed templates and return them to the appropriate organisation responsible for issuing IP network numbers. In most cases this will be your IP service provider or the RIPE NCC. Before completion of the template, please be sure to read the following text and examples carefully which will guide you.

A new classless IP addressing scheme called CIDR has recently been adopted to cope with routing table growth and address space exhaustion problems in the Internet. Under this scheme it is beneficial for everyone to get their network numbers allocated via their respective IP service providers. Your IP service provider is the organisation providing external connectivity to your network. If you are planning to connect your network to other networks outside your organisation in the foreseeable future we strongly urge you to get numbers allocated from your current or prospective IP service provider. Alternatively, if this is not likely, then you will be allocated a number from a different part of the address space by the RIPE NCC. Please pay careful attention to this matter.

Class A and B network numbers are a scarce resource and some justification in terms of expected network size and structure will be needed before such a number can be allocated. Class A numbers will only be assigned to networks which technically need more than 65000 hosts to be on one network number. A detailed technical justification is needed, review takes place on a global scale and the allocation process can take several months. Similarly due to class B scarcity, a reasonable number of class C numbers will be assigned over class B. If you can engineer your network to use multiple class C numbers, it is strongly advised. Please note that this is contrary to earlier recommendations where it
was recommended to use Bs over multiple Cs due to routing table size constraints. A one page document detailing the information needed by the NCC to evaluate requests for class B numbers is available from the NCC if it is not enclosed with this letter; this document also includes a list of recommended reading about CIDR and address allocation in general.

Appended to this letter is a blank template for IP number registration, which we would be extremely grateful if you complete and return to the appropriate organisation responsible for issuing IP network numbers. In most cases this will be your IP service provider. It may of course also be the RIPE NCC.

If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact the NCC. Please note that all queries should, if possible, be made through e-mail and sent to <hostmaster@ripe.net>. If you do not have access to electronic mail, then we prefer to communicate by fax rather than by ordinary mail. You can reach us at:

Phone: +31 20 592 5065
Telefax: +31 20 592 5090
Kruislaan 409
NL-1098 SJ Amsterdam
The Netherlands

If we do not hear from you in the near future we will assume that you have contacted your IP service provider.

Yours sincerely,

The RIPE NCC staff