The document discusses IP addressing and the role of Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) in maintaining unique global IP addresses. It notes that each IP address must be unique on a given network and describes the two main versions of IP (IPv4 and IPv6). It then outlines the role of RIRs like RIPE NCC in allocating address blocks and coordinating policies. RIRs work with their technical communities to develop policies through an open and transparent process while ensuring a globally coordinated system.

1. Maintaining a Unique
Global Network
IP Addressing
Chris Buckridge | 28 June 2021 | EuroDIG 2021

2. Chris Buckridge | EuroDIG 2021 | 28 June 2021
Internet Protocol is Everywhere
• The Internet Protocol allows packets of date to move across the
Internet
• An IP address is what defines an Internet connection
- The IP address is a fundamental building block of any Internet-based service
• Each address must be unique in the context of the network
- In a global network, the address needs to be globally unique
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3. Chris Buckridge | EuroDIG 2021 | 28 June 2021 3
email | WWW | phone | ...
SMTP | HTTP | RTP | ...
TCP | UDP | ...
IP
ethernet | PPP | ...
CSMA | async | sonet | ...
copper | fiber | radio | ...
The Narrow Waist of the Internet

4. Chris Buckridge | EuroDIG 2021 | 28 June 2021
An IP Address Is Not An Identity
• An IP address points to a location in a network
- If you move, your address will change!
• IP address sharing is a common
- Multiple people living in your house
- Your ISP delivering traffic “to the front door”
- What goes on in your network is managed by you
- Your wifi box keeps track and distributes the packages
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5. Chris Buckridge | EuroDIG 2021 | 28 June 2021
Two flavours of IP
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IPv4
IPv6
• First deployed 1982
• 32-bit addresses
• 232 unique addresses (4,294,967,296)
• Written as four “octets”, separated by periods
- e.g. 192.0.2.130
• Developed in the late 1990s
• 128-bit addresses
• 2128 unique addresses (340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456)
• Written as eight hexadecimal “hextets”, separated by colons
- e.g. 2001:db8::8a2e:370:7334 (the double-colon can stand for multiple 0-value sextets)

6. Chris Buckridge | EuroDIG 2021 | 28 June 2021
IPv6 deployment
6
0

7. Chris Buckridge | EuroDIG 2021 | 28 June 2021
Principles & Challenges
• Key principles
- An accurate, up-to-date registry of Internet number resource holdings
- Open, transparent, inclusive, bottom-up development of relevant policies
• Some challenges
- Exhaustion of IPv4 address pool
- Emergence of a market in IPv4 addresses
- Commodification of IP addresses creating incentives for fraud
- Slow uptake of IPv6 across the Internet
- RIR operation in conflict with local or regional regulation
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8. Chris Buckridge | EuroDIG 2021 | 28 June 2021
Regional Internet Registries (RIRs)
• Making sure IP addresses remain unique
- Delegate responsibility for address blocks to their members
- Publish a list of all addresses in use (and by whom)
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• There are five RIRs
- Each serving their part of the
world (service region)
- You pick the RIR based on
where you are located
- Global coordination with
each other and IANA

9. Chris Buckridge | EuroDIG 2021 | 28 June 2021
RIPE NCC
• A not-for-profit membership
association under Dutch law
• Founded in 1992
• Serves as Regional Internet
Registry for 76 countries
• Around 140 staff based in
Amsterdam, Dubai, and around the
service region
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10. Chris Buckridge | EuroDIG 2021 | 28 June 2021
RIPE Community
• Open, transparent, inclusive, bottom-up
• The community is responsible for making policy
- Also sharing information and expertise, sharing and defining
best practices
• RIPE structures
- Working groups
- Mailing lists
- RIPE Meetings
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11. Chris Buckridge | EuroDIG 2021 | 28 June 2021
The RIPE Ecosystem
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RIPE NCC
membership
RIPE
community
Policy
Internet
number
resources
(Maintains mailing lists,
coordinates RIPE Meetings,
maintains RIPE Database)
Governments
Law enforcement Regulators Business
Civil society
Technical community
(The RIPE NCC registers and
distributes IPv4 addresses, IPv6
addresses, Autonomous System
Numbers to its members)
(The RIPE community defines
how and under what conditions
resources are to be registered or
distributed by the RIPE NCC)
RIPE NCC serves as
secretariat for RIPE
community

12. Chris Buckridge | EuroDIG 2021 | 28 June 2021
Global Policy Development
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IANA
NRO Number Council
AFRINIC RIPE NCC ARIN APNIC LACNIC
AFRINIC
community
RIPE
community
ARIN
community
APNIC
community
LACNIC
community
Global Policy Proposal
NRO NC con
fi
rms global consensus
ICANN Board rati
fi
es policy change
✔︎✔︎✔︎✔︎✔︎
IANA
ICANN
ICANN subsidiary PTI
operates the IANA registry

13. Questions ?
chrisb@ripe.net