RIPE NCC: Difference between revisions

The '''Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre''' ('''RIPE NCC''') is the [[RIR]] for Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Central Asia. The main focus of RIPE NCC is fostering the Internet's technical development for the region it represents. It does this specifically by providing Internet resource allocations, registration services and coordinating activities for the region.<ref>[http://www.ripe.net/ RIPE.net]</ref>

The organization's most important tasks include:

* Coordinating the RIPE community<ref>[http://www.ripe.net/internet-coordination/press-centre/publications/annual-reports/the-ripe-ncc-annual-report-2009 2009 RIPE NCC Annual Report], RIPE.net.</ref>

RIPE NCC was established on September 16th, 1990, to deal with administrative tasks for RIPE, although it was not formally established and recognized until 1992. RIPE NCC did not become a separate legal entity until 1998. Although the two organizations are legally independent today, they remain highly interdependent. RIPE NCC supports RIPE by facilitating RIPE meetings and providing support for RIPE working groups. RIPE NCC maintains the RIPE database, a public database containing registration details of the IP addresses and AS numbers originally allocated to members by the RIPE NCC.<ref>[http://www.ripe.net/ripe/about/the-history-of-ripe RIPE History], RIPE.net.</ref>

In November 2011, RIPE NCC received a temporary order from Dutch police that prevented any changes from being made to a registration of four specific blocks of [[IPv4]] address space in the RIPE Registry. The injunction was ordered the 8th of November and had the possibility of being in effect through March 22, 2012.<ref>[http://www.ripe.net/internet-coordination/news/about-ripe-ncc-and-ripe/ripe-ncc-blocks-registration-in-ripe-registry-following-order-from-dutch-police NCC Blocks Registration, ripe.net]</ref>

RIPE NCC is made up of its members, an Executive Board, and its staff, led by a management team.

Organizations and individuals must become members of their regional RIR in order to request large amounts of [[IP]] addresses and AS Numbers, or when they plan to assign them to End Users or customers. Those who wish to request a small amount of [[IP]] addresses and AS numbers for personal use may do so via their Request of Independent Resources process.<ref name="member">[http://www.ripe.net/lir-services/member-support/become-a-member Becoming a Member], RIPE.net.</ref> Most of the organization's members are [[ISP]]s and telecommunications organizations, but other members include corporations, academic institutions and government bodies. At the end of 2009, RIPE NCC has 6,583 members in 76 countries.

RIPE NCC membership is not required to attend RIPE meetings, to take part in the RIPE Policy Development Process (PDP), or use some RIPE NCC Services. Membership is required, however, to request IPv4 and IPv6 address space, AS Numbers and related services, to attend the RIPE NCC General Meetings, to provide feedback on the RIPE NCC Activity Plan, to accept the RIPE NCC Charging Scheme or Financial Report, and to vote candidates onto the RIPE NCC Executive Board. Member benefits include the ability to attend RIPE NCC Training Courses, the use of an LIR Portal account to manage registry data and make Internet number requests, and the receipt of two free tickets to RIPE Meetings.<ref name="member"></ref>

There is a sign-up fee for joining RIPE NCC, after which members must pay an annual fee dependent on their size.<ref name="report">[http://www.ripe.net/internet-coordination/press-centre/publications/annual-reports/the-ripe-ncc-annual-report-2009 2009 RIPE NCC Annual Report], RIPE.net.</ref>

The executive board, which consists of five people, is elected by the members of RIPE NCC. Their duties are to represent the membership and provide guidance to RIPE NCC's senior management team, approve the RIPE NCC's Activity Plan and Budget, appoint the RIPE NCC management, and call General Meetings. They are responsible for the overall financial position of the organization, and are to keep up-to-date records of RIPE NCC's financial situation. The Executive Board delegates all operational decisions relating to the Standard Service Agreements to the management staff.<ref name="report"></ref>

[[Image:ripenccstaffchart.png|thumb|right|RIPE NCC staff chain of command.<ref name="report"></ref>]]

* [[Nigel Titley]], Chairman (May 2010 - May 2013)

* [[Remco van Mook]], Treasurer (May 2010 - May 2013)

* [[Christian Kaufmann]], Secretary (May 2011 - May 2014)

* [[Dmitry Burkov]], [[ICANN]] Liaison (May 2012 - May 2015)

* [[Fahad AlShirawi]], Member (May 2011 - May 2014)

The duties of the staff overall are to:

# Implement policies proposed and accepted by RIPE.<ref name="report"></ref>

The management staff are made up of the Managing Director, the Head of External Relations and Communications, the Chief Operations Officer, the Chief Technical Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, and the Chief Scientist. The Managing director works closely with HR and the Senior Management Assistants, and oversees each of the other members of the management staff. The Head of External Relations and Communications oversees the External Relations and Outreach and Communications and Web Services departments. The Chief Operations Officer oversees Registration Services, Customer Services, Business Applications, Training Services, and the Policy Development Office. The Chief Technical Officer supervises the Information Security Officer, IT Services, the RIPE database, Information Services, DNS Services, and the Senior Project Manager.<ref name="report"></ref> RIPE NCC currently has no CTO, and the COO, [[Andrew de la Haye]], has taken over the supervision of software development.<ref name="management">[https://www.ripe.net/lir-services/ncc/staff RIPE NCC Senior Management Team], RIPE.net.</ref> The Chief Financial Officer oversees the Finance department and the Front Office. The Chief Scientist oversees the Science Group,<ref>[http://www.ripe.net/internet-coordination/press-centre/publications/annual-reports/the-ripe-ncc-annual-report-2009 2009 RIPE NCC Annual Report]</ref> which deals with research, Internet measurements, data collection and analysis. The current CS, [[Daniel Karrenberg]], also advises the Managing Director and the Senior Management team, particularly on new activities and matters of strategy.<ref name="management"></ref>

* Hostcount++<ref name="report"></ref>