Regional Internet Registries (RIRs)

The Regional Internet Registries (RIR) are regional organisation that manages the internet in cooperation with IANA.

They have the authority within their regions:

• to administer and register the following internet resources:
  • IP address space
  • and Autonomous System numbers
• to provide related services.

They provide therefore also the whois database to identify the owner of this resources.

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The Number Resources Organization (NRO) is a coordinating body that unites the five RIRs.

• RIPE database: Europe,…
• ARIN: America - whois.arin.net
• Ripe Ncc
• Lacnic
• Apnic
• Afrinic