RIPE Database Quarterly Planning

We launched this initiative in Q4 2021, and we are open to improving what we publish here and how we do that. So let us know if there are ways we can better present our plans.

We will update this page as our activities progress and continue to share updates on RIPE Labs, on the RIPE Database Working Group (WG) mailing list and at RIPE Meetings and other events.

Q4 2025 Plans

Last Updated: 23 September 2025

Item 1: Phase Out MD5

Using MD5 hashed password authentication is a security risk, both for the RIPE NCC and the users of the RIPE database. A new alternative authentication mechanism called API keys (application passwords) is now available. OAuth 2.0 authentication is now also available.

Status: In progress

Community Input on Planning

We want the community to contribute to our plans and suggest additional work items. The Database Working Group (WG) employs a process called Numbered Work Items (NWIs) that allows anyone to suggest work the RIPE NCC should carry out to improve the RIPE Database. A lot of work takes place each quarter to investigate the feasibility of NWIs and plan for their implementation.

Community input DB-2021#01: NWI-2 - Displaying history for database objects where available

Description: DB-WG to define requirements for NWI-2.

Status: Under consideration. In Q3 2024, our team documented the use of historical query commands for the DB-WG and published statistics.

Community Input DB-2025#01: NWI-20 - Adjusting contact method requirements and adding new methods

Description : The Database Working Group requested to align requirement levels for contact methods across person and role object types, and additionally to support new contact methods.

Status: The RIPE NCC is working on potential solutions for the problem definition, and also an impact analysis for any changes.

Archived Quarterly Plans

You can find our plans from the previous quarters on this page. The Q4 2025 plans will be archived once we publish the Q1 2026 planning.