We have provided a color-coded rating system based on what
we believe is useful:
- RFC-1786: RIPE-181
- Recommended reading
RIPE-181 (RIPE-81++) started it all. This document describes the original
database formats used by the RIPE NCC for the storage of routing policy in
its database. This document is a worthwhile read simply because it
explains some things more clearly than the RPSL RFC. However, the format
of various objects has changed, so one shouldn't pay too much attention to
too many details.
It is important to remember that RIPE serves as a combination of an
address registry, much like ARIN, and a domain
registry, much like InterNIC. As such, the RIPE database contains
non-routing oriented objects.
Additional documentation on the contents of the RIPE database can be
found at the
RIPE Document Store.
If you mirror the RIPE database, it should be noted that while the
initial seeding of the database can be done from the DB file stored
on the RIPE FTP site (see the
The RADB Routing Registry List), it is desirable to filter the
contents of the RIPE database for just the routing-related entries.
This can be done using the ripe_subset.pl script
included with the IRRd distribution. IRRd should use the
irr_database db-name filter routing-registry-objects
option to extract only routing objects from the mirror stream.
- RFC-2622: Routing Policy Specification Language
- Highly Recommended Reading
The current routing language used by IRRd and by RsConfig. Certain
ambiguities in the RIPE-181 language have been dealt with, such as the
inter-as attribute (happily gone). This document should only require
a couple of read-throughs for the average user. RFC-2650 goes with this
to help provide explanations on day-to-day use of RPSL.
RPSL is much more expressive with regards to routing policy than RIPE-181.
This explains much of the complexity of the latter part of the document.
- RFC-2650: Using RPSL in Practice
- Highly Recommended Reading
A definite must read for people new to RPSL. This tutorial gives
many examples of common policies in RPSL.
- RFC-2726: PGP Authentication for RIPE Database Updates
- Recommended reading
Although RPSL-Security is the next document in the series, we list this
RFC before it. RFC-2726 explains how to store PGP public
keys within the RIPE database format, and by extension, the RPSL database
format. RPSL makes use of PGP-signed transactions for security.
The RPSL-Security RFC makes heavy use of the objects described in this
RFC.
- RFC-2725: Routing Policy System Security
- Optional reading
The RPSL-Security specification provides a mechanism for delegating
objects and providing a rooted (top-down) delegation and authentication
model for objects such as AS numbers, address space and routes. This
will bring some sanity to the data stored in the public IRR
databases.
Status: IRRd does not yet support this RFC.
- RFC-2769: Routing Policy System Replication
- Optional reading
This mechanism provides for a more robust and authenticated
mechanism of distributing data from registry to registry. The current
RIPE methology uses a pull mechanism and RPSL-Replication also provides
for initial object submissions and provides a push mechanism for
registries.
Status: IRRd does not yet support this RFC.
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