EUROPEAN AUTONOMOUS SYSTEM NUMBER
APPLICATION FORM & SUPPORTING NOTES
Document-ID: ripe-109.txt
Expiry Date: 31 August 1994
To whom it may concern.
Thank you for your request for an Autonomous System (AS)
number. The documentation below consists of two sections :
the first section refers to SUPPORTING NOTES which give a
definition and description of what an Autonomous System is,
together with a description of when an AS number is needed
and necessary. It is important that you read this section
carefully.
The second section, the AS NUMBER TEMPLATE is the actual
template that must be completed and returned to the RIPE
Network Coordination Centre (NCC). This template is divided
into two parts:
Part A - Administrative Details
Part B - Technical Details
You must complete part A in full. This is Mandatory. Part
B should also be filled in, but at the time of application
you may not know all the technical details. You can still
get an AS number without completing Part B, but you are
urged to submit the information as soon as possible.
Please ensure that you read all the information below care-
fully before submitting your application for an AS number.
For more detailed explanations please refer to the paper
"Representation of IP Routing Policies in the RIPE Database"
RIPE document ID: ripe-081.
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to con-
tact the RIPE NCC who will be able to advise you. Our con-
tact details are given below:
RIPE NCC email: hostmaster@ripe.net
Kruislaan 409 tel: +31 20 592 5065
1098 SJ Amsterdam fax: +31 20 592 5090
The Netherlands
Yours sincerely.
hostmaster@ripe.net
RIPE Network Coordination Centre
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SUPPORTING NOTES for AUTONOMOUS SYSTEM (AS) NUMBER REQUESTS
Please read the information below carefully. It is impor-
tant that you read this before completing the template in
the following section as it contains essential definitions.
What is an Autonomous System ?
An Autonomous System (AS) is a group of IP networks run by
one or more network operators which has a single and clearly
defined routing policy.
An AS has a unique number associated with it which is used
in both the exchange of exterior routing information (i.e.
network reachability information between ASes) and as an
identifier of the AS itself. Exterior routing protocols such
as BGP and EGP are used to exchange routing information
between ASes.
In routing terms an AS will normally use one or more inte-
rior gateway protocols when exchanging network information
within its own AS.
The term AS is often confused or even misused as a con-
venient way of grouping together a set of networks which
belong under the same administrative umbrella even if within
that group of networks there are various different routing
policies. ASes can strictly have only one single routing
policy.
On the other hand, the creation of an AS should be done in a
conscious and well coordinated manner to avoid creating ASes
for the sake of it, perhaps resulting in the worst case
scenario of one AS per IP network number. This may mean that
by applying the general rules for the creation and alloca-
tion of an AS below, some re-engineering may be needed. How-
ever, this may be the only way to actually implement a
desired routing policy anyway.
How can I be sure I need an AS number ?
o Creation of an AS is only required when exchanging
routing information with other ASes. Some router imple-
mentations make use of an AS number as a form of tag-
ging to identify the routing process. However, it
should be noted that this tag does not need to be
unique unless routing information is indeed exchanged
with other ASes.
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o An IP network number can and must only belong to one
AS. This is a direct consequence of the fact that at
each point in the Internet there can only be exactly
one routing policy for traffic destined to each net-
work. In the case of the IP network which is used in
neighbor peering between two ASes, say at the border
between two ASes, a conscious decision must be made as
to which AS this IP network number actually resides in.
o For a simple case of customer networks connected to a
single service provider, the IP network should be a
member of the service providers AS. In terms of rout-
ing policy the IP network has exactly the same policy
as the service provider and there is no need to make
any distinction in routing information. This idea may
at first seem slightly alien to some, but it highlights
the clear distinction in the use of the AS number as a
representation of routing policy as opposed to some
form of administrative use.
o If a network operator connects to more than one AS with
different routing policies then they need to create
their own AS. In the case of multi-homed customer net-
works connected to two service providers there are at
least two different routing policies to a given custo-
mer network. At this point the customer networks will
be part of a single AS and this AS would be distinct
from either of the service providers ASes. This allows
the customer the ability of having a different
representation of policy and preference to the dif-
ferent service providers. This is the ONLY case where a
network operator should create its own AS number.
o As a general rule one should always try to populate the
AS with as many IP networks as possible, providing all
IP networks conform to the same routing policy.
Each AS is represented in the RIPE database by an AS object.
The AS object stores descriptive, administrative and contact
information about the AS as well as the technical informa-
tion relating to the routing policies of the AS in relation
to all neighboring ASes. With an AS object you must also
supply a completed PERSON template(s) which gives the full
contact details for the tech-c and admin-c people.
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Example of a completed allocated AS number template together with completed
PERSON templates which are stored in the RIPE Network Management Database.
aut-num: AS1104
descr: NIKHEF-H
descr: Science Park Watergraafsmeer
descr: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
as-in: AS1103 100 AS1103
as-in: AS1890 100 AS1890 AS2004 AS288
as-in: AS1888 100 AS1888
as-in: AS2122 200 AS2122 AS2600
as-in: AS2600 100 AS2600
as-out: AS1103 AS1104
as-out: AS1890 AS1104
as-out: AS1888 AS1104
as-out: AS2122 AS1104
as-out: AS2600 AS1104
default: AS1103 100
guardian: ripe-op@nikhef.nl
admin-c: Rob Blokzijl
tech-c: Marten Terpstra
remarks: peers with AS2122 and AS2600 are RR test peers
notify: tony@ripe.net
notify: marten@ripe.net
changed: tony@ripe.net 940117
source: RIPE
person: Rob Blokzijl
address: NIKHEF section H
address: Science Park Watergraafsmeer (WCW)
address: Kruislaan 409
address: NL-1098 SJ Amsterdam
address: The Netherlands
phone: +31 20 592 5102
fax-no: +31 20 592 5155
e-mail: k13@nikhef.nl
changed: dfk@cwi.nl 900802
changed: ripe-dbm@ripe.net 920622
source: RIPE
person: Marten Terpstra
address: RIPE Network Coordination Centre (NCC)
address: PRIDE Project
address: Kruislaan 409
address: NL-1098 SJ Amsterdam
address: Netherlands
phone: +31 20 592 5064
fax-no: +31 20 592 5090
e-mail: Marten.Terpstra@ripe.net
nic-hdl: MT2
notify: marten@ripe.net
changed: marten@ripe.net 931230
source: RIPE
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This example contains Part B - technical details "routing
policy" information (starting from the tags as-in: up to and
including the guardian: tag). It is not strictly necessary
to supply this section in the initial application for an AS
number, but which you are strongly urged to complete in the
future when you know your "routing policy". This is espe-
cially important if you intend to connect to the Global
Internet at some stage in the future.
It is important to note that if you decide to send in your
"routing policy" later on, then you MUST accompany it with
the full administrative information. Otherwise we will not
know to which autonomous system and to which organisation
the routing information applies!
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Part A - Administrative Details
ADMINISTRATIVE TEMPLATE
aut-num:
How many AS numbers do you require?
Format: Please complete with a number.
Example:
aut-num: 1
descr:
A short description of the Autonomous system.
Format: Free text, multiple lines in sequence allowed
as shown in the example below.
Example:
descr: NIKHEF section H
descr: Science Park Watergraafsmeer
descr: Amsterdam
tech-c: Name or NIC-handle of technical contact person.
This is someone to be contacted for technical problems
such as misconfiguration, etc.
Format: <firstname> <initials> <lastname>, multiple
lines.
Example:
tech-c: John E. Doe
admin-c:
Name or NIC-handle of administrative contact person.
This is most likely to be the same name as the guardian
but it is not mandatory for it to be.
Format: <firstname> <initials> <lastname>, multiple
lines.
Example:
admin-c: Joe T. Bloggs
changed:
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Email address of the person who is completing the
template, followed by the current date. If you do not
have email connectivity please leave blank and we
will complete it.
Format: As shown below.
Example:
changed: johndoe@terabit.nl 930225
source:
Source of the information. It will always be
RIPE. This is information which is always required in
the database, so it has been added already.
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PERSON TEMPLATE
For each different person specified in the network template,
please complete a separate person template, unless the data
about those persons is already in the RIPE database.
person:
Please give the full name of the admin-c contact and
the tech-c contact. There must be a person template
completed for each different name specified.
Format: The names must be written identically to
those given in the "admin-c:" and "tech-c:" attributes
(but must not be the NIC handle) or official titles
like "Dr, Prof or Sir".
Example:
person: Joe T. Bloggs
address:
Please complete with the full postal address.
Format: Write as you would for ordinary postal mail
using one line for each part o f the address as shown
in the example below:
Example:
address: Terabit Labs Inc.
address: North Perpendicular Road 12
address: NL-1234 Northtown
address: The Netherlands
phone:
Please give the work telephone number of the person
specified above.
Format: Please specify the telephone number with +
<country code> <area code> <telephone number> Most
countries should drop the leading zero when specifying
their area code. More than one telephone number is
fine. Each telephone number should be put on a
separate line and written in order of the most
appropriate number for the contact person.
Example:
phone: +31 20 1233 4676
phone: +31 20 1233 4677 ext. 4711
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fax-no:
Please complete with the telefax number of the person
specified above.
Format: Follow with the same rules as specified for
telephone number above.
Example:
fax-no: +31 20 12334678
e-mail:
Please supply the appropriate electronic mail address
for the admin-c (the administrative contact person)/
and the tech-c (the technical contact person).
Format: Please ensure that this is a valid domain
address. If you DO NOT have e-mail connectivity,
please leave this blank as the email attribute will not
be included in the administrative details stored in the
database for this person.
Example:
e-mail: johndoe@terabit.nl
nic-hdl:
This refers to a NIC handle which is a unique identif-
ier assigned and used by the US NIC to unambiguously
refer to Internet people. If you do not have a NIC
handle, then please leave blank.
Format: This is allocated by a NIC.
Example:
nic-hdl: JD0401
changed:
Who and when this last changed.
Format: Please complete with your e-mail address fol-
lowed by the current date exactly as shown below. If
you do not have e-mail connectivity, please leave blank
and we will complete this on your behalf.
Example:
changed: johndoe@terabit.nl 930225
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source:
Source of the information. This will always be RIPE
and is a required field so it has been added.
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Part B - Technical Details
You may not at the time of applying for your AS number know
the technical details requested below. Therefore we do not
make completing this section mandatory. However, you are
*strongly urged* to complete this section as soon as possi-
ble once you know your routing policy and return your
amended template to <hostmaster@ripe.net> for inclusion in
the RIPE Network Management Database. Please note, that if
you send this section in later, you must send it in accom-
panied by a completed Section A - Administrative Details
otherwise we will not know to which AS or which organisation
the routing policy information applies.
TECHNICAL TEMPLATE
as-in:
A description of accepted routing information from
neighboring ASes.
Format: <aut-num> <cost> <routing policy expression>,
on multiple lines where: <aut-num> refers to your
neighboring AS. <cost> is a positive integer used to
express a relative cost of routes learned. The lower
the cost the more preferred the route. <routing policy
expression> can take the following formats:
1. A list of one or more ASes, AS Macros and Communi-
ties.
Example:
as-in: AS1103 100 AS1103
as-in: AS786 105 AS1103
as-in: AS786 10 AS786 HEPNET
as-in: AS1755 110 AS1103 AS786
2. A set of KEYWORDS. The following keywords are
currently defined.
Example:
ANY - this means anything the neighbor AS knows.
RIPE-DB - any network currently in the RIPE database.
LOCAL - any network in the RIPE database which is part
of the community LOCAL (i.e. no connectivity outside its
own organisation).
3. A logical expression of either 1 or 2 above. The
current logical operators are defined as:
Format:
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AND
OR
NOT
NOTE: if no logical operator is given between ASes,
AS-macros, Communities and KEYWORDS it is implicitly
evaluated as an `OR' operation. The OR can be left out
for conciseness. Rules are grouped together using
parenthesis i.e "(" and ")".
Example:
as-in: AS1755 100 RIPE-DB AND NOT (LOCAL OR AS1234 OR AS513)
as-in: AS1755 150 AS1234
A rule can be wrapped over lines providing the associ-
ated <aut-num> and <cost> values are repeated and occur
on consecutive lines.
Example:
as-in: AS1755 100 RIPE-DB AND NOT (LOCAL AS1234 AS513)
and
Example:
as-in: AS1755 100 RIPE-DB AND NOT (LOCAL
as-in: AS1755 100 AS1234 AS513)
are evaluated to the same result.
as-out:
A description of generated routing information sent to
other AS peers.
Format: <aut-num> <routing policy expression>, multi-
ple lines. Where <aut-num> refers to your AS neighbor.
<routing policy expression> is explained in the as-in
definition
Example:
as-out: AS786 RIPE-DB AND NOT (AS978 LOCAL)
default:
An indication of how default routing is done.
Format: <aut-num> <relative cost>, multiple lines.
Where <aut-num> The AS peer you will default route to.
<relative cost> The relative cost is a positive integer
use to express a preference for default. There is no
relationship to the cost used in the "as-in" tag. The
lower the cost indicates which AS peer is more pre-
ferred for default.
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Example:
default: AS1755 10
default: AS786 5
guardian:
Mailbox address of the guardian of the Autonomous Sys-
tem
Format: <email-address>, single line. This should be
in RFC822 format wherever possible.
Example:
guardian: as1104-guardian@nikhef.nl
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EUROPEAN AUTONOMOUS SYSTEM NUMBER
APPLICATION FORM
Part A - ADMINISTRATIVE TEMPLATE
aut-num:
descr:
tech-c:
admin-c:
source: RIPE
changed:
person:
address:
address:
address:
address:
phone:
fax-no:
e-mail:
changed:
source: RIPE
person:
address:
address:
address:
address:
phone:
fax-no:
e-mail:
changed:
source: RIPE
Part B - TECHNICAL TEMPLATE
as-in:
as-in:
as-out:
as-out:
default:
guardian:
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Please return this completed template to
<hostmaster@ripe.net>. You can also send it by fax. Mark
your fax for the attention of RIPE NCC HOSTMASTER. Our fax
number is +31 20 592 5090.
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