Making Resource Holders Easier to Identify: Introducing Reg-Nr: In the RIPE Database

Key Takeaways

• reg‑nr: adds official company registration numbers to RIPE organisation objects
• Over 32,000 objects now include reg‑nr, covering 18,000 members
• Attribute only appears on NCC‑co‑maintained objects after verification
• Enables precise identification of resource holders across 130 economies
• Direct registry links omitted due to variable URLs and upkeep

Pulse Analysis

The RIPE Database has long served as the backbone for locating contact information and troubleshooting network issues, but its role has expanded to become a definitive registry of Internet number resources. As the ecosystem grew, the reliance on plain organization names and country codes proved insufficient for disambiguating entities with similar or identical names. Introducing a globally recognized identifier—official company registration numbers—addresses this gap, aligning the database with best practices in data governance and enhancing its utility for auditors, policymakers, and service providers.

Implemented under Numbered Work Item 21, the "reg‑nr:" attribute is now present in over 32,000 organisation objects, covering roughly 18,000 RIPE NCC members and 14,000 sponsored end‑users across more than 130 economies. The attribute is only attached to objects co‑maintained by the NCC after a rigorous validation process, ensuring that the numbers are accurate and publicly verifiable. By pairing the registration number with the existing country code, users can quickly locate the appropriate national registry, streamlining due‑diligence, compliance checks, and administrative workflows that previously required manual cross‑referencing.

The broader impact extends beyond the RIPE community. Precise identification of resource holders bolsters confidence in the integrity of IP address allocations, which is essential for combating fraud, facilitating lawful intercept requests, and supporting market transactions such as address space sales. While direct links to national registries were deemed impractical due to maintenance challenges, the availability of the registration number lays the groundwork for future tooling that could automate registry lookups. As the internet continues to mature, such incremental yet powerful enhancements reinforce the RIPE Database’s position as a trusted, transparent source of critical infrastructure data.