About RIPE
RIPE (Reseaux IP Europeens) is a collaborative organisation open to all
European Internet service providers. The objective of RIPE is to ensure
the necessary administrative and technical coordination to allow the
operation of a pan-European IP network. RIPE does not operate a network
of its own. RIPE has been functioning since 1989. Currently more than
60 organisations participate in the work. The result of the RIPE coordi-
nation effort is that the individual end-user is presented on his desk
top with a uniform IP service irrespective of the particular network his
or her workstation is attached to. In November 1993 more than 500,000
hosts throughout Europe are reachable via networks coordinated by RIPE.
The total number of systems reachable worldwide is estimated at more
than two million.
About the RIPE NCC
The RIPE Network Coordination Centre supports all those RIPE activities
which cannot be effectively performed by volunteers from the
participating organisations. Besides supporting RIPE activities in
general the NCC provides the following services to network operators:
o network management database containing information about IP networks,
DNS domains, IP routing policies and contact information
o delegated Internet registry, a clearing house distributing IP numbers
o domain name system (DNS)
o coordination graphical maps of IP networks
o repository for network operations software
o RIPE document store
o Interactive Information Service
The RIPE NCC is located in Amsterdam. The RARE association provides
the formal framework for the NCC. Funding for the operation of the NCC
is provided by all European Internet service providers. To learn more
about the RIPE NCC and its services you can consult the appropriate
leaflet, the interactive information server or contact the NCC by
electronic mail, telephone or fax (details are given at the end of this
leaflet).
RIPE NCC Interactive Information Service
Information about RIPE and RIPE NCC services can also be obtained using
the Interactive Information Service. This menu-driven service allows
browsing through the RIPE document store, reading documents and sending
them by electronic mail. It can be reached by telnetting to info.ripe.net
The service is available via the public X.25 networks at 0204129004331.
Access to the RIPE Document Store
All RIPE documents and Internet RFCs are available via anonymous FTP
from host ftp.ripe.net. The same documents are also available via a
`gopher' server at gopher.ripe.net, a `WAIS' server at wais.ripe.net and
via a `World Wide Web' server at http://www.ripe.net/ripe/default.html.
Access to the RIPE Database
The RIPE network management database can be accessed via the whois (RFC
954) server running on host whois.ripe.net. The database can also be
accessed via the RIPE NCC interactive information service, described
above.
Mailserver
Documents can also be retrieved from the RIPE document store using a
mailserver program. For more information on how to use the program,
send email to mail-server@ripe.net with `send HELP' in the body text.
RIPE NCC Contact Information Address:
RIPE NCC Phone: +31 20 592 5060
Kruislaan 409 Fax: +31 20 592 5090
NL-1098 SJ Electronic Mail: ncc@ripe.net
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
RIPE-NCC About RIPE/Version 0.2 /November 1993