Autonomous System (AS) Number Assignment Policies and Procedures

   Mirjam Kuehne
   Nurani Nimpuno
   Sabrina Wilmot

   Document ID: ripe-263
   Date: 22 January 2003
   Obsoletes: ripe-185, ripe-245
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Description

   This document provides a description of Autonomous System Numbers,
   their assignment procedures and guidelines on how to obtain them in
   RIPE NCC service region.
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Table of Contents

     * 1.0 AS Number Assignment Policies and Procedures
     * 1.1 Assignments for Internetworking Experiments
     * 1.2 Defining the Experiment
     * 1.3 Publication
     * 1.4 Non-commercial Basis
     * 1.5 Period of Temporary Resource Registration
     * 1.6 Registration
     * 1.7 Requesting an AS Number
     * 1.8 Returning an AS Number


1.0 AS Number Assignment Policies and Procedures

   An Autonomous System (AS) is a group of IP networks run by one or
   more network operators with a single, clearly defined routing
   policy. When exchanging exterior routing information each AS is
   identified by a unique number. Exterior routing protocols such as
   BGP, described in RFC 1771, "A Border Gateway Protocol 4 (BGP-4)",
   are used to exchange routing information between Autonomous
   Systems.  More information on RFC 1771 can be found at:

     ftp://ftp.ripe.net/rfc/rfc1771.txt

   An AS will normally use some interior gateway protocol to exchange
   routing information on its internal networks.

   In order to help decrease global routing complexity, a new AS
   Number should be used only if a new external routing policy is
   required.  Sharing an AS Number among a set of networks that do not
   fall under the same organisational umbrella is possible but will
   sometimes require extra co-ordination among the various network
   administrators. (In some cases, some level of network
   re-engineering may be needed.) This may be the only way to
   implement the desired routing policy.  For more information please
   see RFC 1930, "Guidelines for creation, selection, and registration
   of an Autonomous System (AS)" found at:
   
     ftp://ftp.ripe.net/rfc/rfc1930.txt

   Current guidelines require a network to be multi-homed for an AS
   Number to be assigned. Requests must show the routing policy of the
   Autonomous System. The policy is defined in the following
   attributes as part of the aut-num object: multiple fields of
   "import:" (describing accepted routing information from
   neighbouring ASs.); multiple fields of "export:" (describing
   generated routing information sent to peers); one or more
   (optional) fields of "default:" (indicating how default routing is
   done).
   
1.1 Assignments for Internetworking Experiments

   Organisations often require deployment tests for new Internet
   services and technologies. These require numbering resources for
   the duration of the test.
     
   The policy goal of resource conservation is of reduced importance
   when resources are issued on a temporary basis.
     
1.2 Defining the Experiment
     
   An organisation receiving numbering resources must document the
   experiment. This may be in the form of a current IETF Experimental
   RFC (see RFC 2026, Sec. 4.2.1) or an "experiment proposal"
   detailing the resources required and the activities to be carried
   out.

   A single AS Number will be assigned. Where the experiment requires
   a variation to this rule it should be noted in the resource request
   forms sent to the RIPE NCC.
   
1.3 Publication
   
   The experiment proposal must be made public (e.g. published on web
   site), upon registration of the resources by the RIPE
   NCC. Following the conclusion of the experiment the results must be
   published free of charge and free from disclosure constraints.

1.4 Non-commercial Basis
   
   Resources