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Introduction to the RIPE Database

RIPE Database Documentation Overview

Intended Audience

Conventions Used in the RIPE Database Documentation

What is the RIPE Database

Purpose and Content of the RIPE Database

History of the RIPE Database

Personal Data Database Management and Reponsabilities

RIPE Database Structure

Database Object

Primary and Secondary Objects

List of Primary Objects

List of Secondary Objects

The Attributes in Database Objects

Attribute Names

Attributes in an Object

Attribute Values

Attribute Properties

How to Organise Your Data

REST API Data model

RPSL Object Types

Descriptions of Primary Objects

Descriptions of Secondary Objects

Available Databases

RIPE Database

TEST Database

Release Candidate Database

Experimental Databases

Update Methods

RESTful API

Webupdates

Syncupdates

Email Updates

Updating Objects in the RIPE Database

Format of the Update Message

Accessing the Object Templates

Object Processing

Update Operations

Historical Data

Special Considerations for Object Creation

Garbage Collection

Dry run

Set Objects

Notifications

Acknowledgment Message

Notification Messages

Authorisation

Authorisation Model

Using the Authorisation Methods

Security of Data Using Authorisation

Protection of PERSON and ROLE Objects

Protection of AUT NUM Object Space

Protection of Address Space

Protection of Route Object Space

Protection of Reverse Delegation Objects

Protection of Objects with Hierarchical Names

Protecting Membership of a Set

Referencing an ORGANIZATION Object

Referencing an IRT Object

IRT Object

Force Delete Functionality

Request ENUM delegation

Request DNSSEC delegation

How to Query the RIPE Database

The Structure of a Query

Web Query Form

RESTful API Queries

Command Line Queries

Query Responses

Registration Data Access Protocol

Access to Personal Data

Types of Queries

Queries Using Primary and Lookup Keys

Queries for IP Networks

Queries for Autonomous Systems

More and Less Specific Lookups For Reverse Domains

Inverse Queries

Abuse Contacts

Grouping the RIPE Database Output

Filtering the Query Reponse

IRR Toolset Support

Persistent Connections and Keeping State

Getting All the Members of Set objects

Access Control for Queries

RIPE NCC Global Resource Service

Other Query Flags

Referenced Objects in Query Response

Historical Queries

Related Software and Tools

Geolocation in the RIPE Database

RIPE Database Mirror

Setup RIPE Database Mirror

Near Real Time Mirroring v3

Near Real Time Mirroring v4

Access to NRTM

Tables of Query Types Supported by the RIPE Database

How to Recover Access to a Maintainer Object

Installation and Development

Getting started on macOS

Getting started on Ubuntu Linux

Building whois

Configure MariaDB

Coding standard

Installation instructions

Database Support

Support Overview

Clean up of Unreferenced Data

Database Security

Configuring Reverse DNS

Database Business Rules

Highlighted Values in the RIPE Database

Create First Role Mntner

Removal of personal data

Release Notes

FAQ

Appendices

Appendix A Syntax of Object Attributes

Appendix B Copyright Statement

Appendix C RIPE Database Query Server Response Codes and Messages

Appendix-D--Route-Object-Creation-Flowchart

Appendix-E--Domain-Object-Creation-Flowchart

Appendix F Special Considerations for Object Types

Appendix G Object Types with Personal Data

Appendix H PGP Authentication Method

Appendix I Client Certificate Authentication

Appendix J Ripe Test Database

Appendix K API Keys

Glossary

Legal Information

RIPE Database Acceptable Use Policy

HTML Terms And Conditions

All Documentation Combined

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Attribute Properties ​

Attributes can be used in different ways in different objects. Currently, there are three properties that apply to all attributes:

  • Presence
  • Repeat
  • Indexed

The allowed attributes for any object type are shown in the object templates (see the section 'RPSL Object Types').

Presence ​

Not all allowed attributes need to be present in every instance of the object type. The table below shows how presence is defined for an attribute. The same attribute name may have a different presence defined in different object types. For example "status:" is mandatory in an inetnum object, but generated in an aut-num object.

Types of 'presence' of an Attribute

TypeDescription
[mandatory]You must include at least one instance of this attribute in all objects of this type.
[optional]This attribute is optional in the objects of this type and you can leave it out. If you choose to include this attribute then the value must also be included.
[required]The syntax rules define this attribute as optional. However, additional business rules require this attribute under some circumstances.
[generated]These attributes are generated if you leave them out. If you include the attribute and provide the value, it may be replaced by a value determined by the software.

Repeat ​

Attributes can have single or multiple values. Note that it is the value that matters more than the attribute here. An attribute can only take a comma-separated list of values if it is defined as multiple.

For an attribute defined as single in an object template, there can only be one instance of this attribute in an object of that type and it can only have a single value (even if this attribute is defined as being able to have a list of values).

For an attribute defined as multiple in an object template, there can be many instances of this attribute in an object of that type. If any of these attributes can have a list of values then it is allowed for multiple attributes.

There is no limit on the number of times a multiple attribute can be added to an object. But there is an overall limit on the size of an object.

TypeDescription
[single]Objects can only contain one instance of this 'attribute-value' pair.
[multiple]Objects may contain more than one instance of this attribute. For some attributes, an instance may contain a list of values, separated by commas.

Indexed ​

Many attribute values are indexed within the database. This is necessary to provide fast, efficient lookups of data. All objects' primary keys are indexed. These and any other indexed value may be used to do standard lookups or reverse lookups.

A standard lookup is where you look for an object that contains the specified value. Where this value can be found in an object depends on the index tables built with that attribute value.

An inverse lookup is where you look for objects that contain the specified value in the list of specified attribute types. (See more about indexed searches in the section on Querying the RIPE Database.)

whois -i mnt-by,mnt-lower,mnt-routes: AARDVARK-MNT

Indexes are built internally within the database. This property does not affect nor put any restrictions on the data entered by a user.

Table 3.5 Types of 'indexes' of an Attribute

TypeDescription
[lookup key]This attribute is indexed.
[inverse key]This attribute is in the "reverse" index.
[primary key]This attribute is (part of) the primary key for this object type.

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