What is RIR Regional Internet registries

Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) are organizations responsible for managing and distributing Internet number resources within specific geographical regions. These resources include:

1. IP Addresses (IPv4 and IPv6): RIRs allocate blocks of IP addresses to Internet Service Providers (ISPs), enterprises, and other organizations. These addresses are essential for devices to communicate over the Internet.
2. Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs): ASNs are unique identifiers used by networks to exchange routing information. They play a crucial role in the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) routing system.

Here’s a breakdown of the five RIRs and their technical details:

1. African Network Coordination Centre (AFRINIC):
   • Established: 2005
   • Location: Mauritius
   • Service Region: Africa
   • Membership Types:
     • Resource Members (Local Internet Registries (LIRs) and end users) who apply for resources based on need.
     • Associate Members who obtain AFRINIC membership but don’t apply for Internet number resources.
2. Asia-Pacific Network Coordination Centre (APNIC):
   • Established: 1993
   • Location: Australia
   • Service Region: Asia Pacific
   • Membership Types:
     • Members categorized into tiers based on the number of Internet number resources they hold (delegated based on need).
     • Non-Members who can still hold resources but can’t hold membership.
     • Members of National Internet Registries (NIRs) operating in the Asia Pacific region.
3. American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN):
   • Established: 1997
   • Location: USA
   • Service Region: United States, Canada, many Caribbean and North Atlantic islands
   • Membership Types:
     • Organization-level membership reserved for entities holding IPv4 address space, IPv6 address space, and/or ASNs from ARIN under a signed agreement.
     • ARIN also serves approximately 14,000 customers with resources not covered by agreements.
4. Latin American and Caribbean Internet Addresses Registry (LACNIC):
   • Established: 2002
   • Location: Uruguay
   • Service Region: Latin America and the Caribbean
   • Membership Types:
     • Active Members (organizations and end users receiving resources based on need).
     • Adhering Members (Members without assigned IP addresses).
5. Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre (RIPE NCC):
   • Established: 1992
   • Location: The Netherlands
   • Service Region: Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Central Asia
   • Membership Types:
     • Active members with Local Internet Registry (LIR) accounts to apply for resources.
     • RIPE NCC also serves 19,000+ End Users who receive IP addresses for their infrastructure without applying for membership.