RIPE NCC Accepting Requests for 32-bit Autonomous System Numbers

News | Amsterdam, 2 January 2007

We are pleased to announce that on 1 January 2007, the RIPE NCC began accepting requests for 4-byte (32-bit) Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs). Assignments come from the range: 3.0 - 3.1023.

The request form and supporting notes are available in the RIPE Document Store at:
http://www.ripe.net/ripe/docs/asnrequestform.html
http://www.ripe.net/ripe/docs/asnsupport.html

Their format is different from the current 16-bit ASNs. There is more information about this at:
http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-michaelson-4byte-as-representation-02.txt
http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-uijterwaal-rpsl-4byteas-ext-01.txt

The introduction of 32-bit ASNs may have an effect on tools that query the RIPE Database or those based on RPSL. Sites using the RIPE Database software will probably have to upgrade their systems.

There is more information about this at:
http://www.ripe.net/news/asn-db-update.html