Routing objects

As a part of the APNIC Whois Database, the APNIC Routing Registry provides Internet operators with the ability to:

Debug routing problems
Automatically configure backbone routers
Perform network planning

The APNIC Routing Registry is linked to the distributed Internet Routing Registry (IRR).

Benefits of using the APNIC Routing Registry

Easier maintenance:

Use one set of maintainer and person objects to manage both Internet resources and routing information

Integrated resource and routing management:

Before route objects can be registered in the APNIC Routing Registry, APNIC ensures that the address range and AS number are within APNIC resource ranges. In addition, the mnt-by, mnt-lower, and mnt-routes authentication attributes in aut-num and inetnum objects ensure that the registered resource holder has control over routing objects that specify their resources.

Reduced cost:

The APNIC Routing Registry service is free to APNIC members.

Routing objects and Internet resource objects

Objects representing resources related to the allocation and assignment of resources by APNIC are used to authenticate routing information in the APNIC Routing Registry. Attributes in IPv4 address (inetnum) and AS number (aut-num) objects in the whois database can be used to control the creation and maintenance of related routing objects. These attributes are:

Object	Routing related attributes
inetnum	mnt-routes
aut-num	mnt-routes member-of cross-mnt cross-fly mnt-lower

To create routing objects associated with Internet resource objects, first add the appropriate authorization attributes in the inetnum and aut-num objects. When querying an IP address or range, any associated route object will be returned with the inetnum object.

Inetnum description objects

Use this form to perform regular updates on inetnum objects in the APNIC Whois Database, including updating additional routing attributes:

Add a mnt-routes attribute to your inetnum object to control the creation of route objects within your address range using the inetnum update form.

Aut-num request and update form

Use this form to perform regular updates on aut-num objects in the APNIC Whois Database, including updating additional routing attributes:

Add a mnt-routes attribute to your aut-num objects to control the creation of route objects using your AS number as an orgin.
Use the aut-num update form to add a members attribute to include your AS number in an as-set.

View or modify an existing aut-num object

To view or modify an exiting aut-num object, enter the aut-num of interest (for example, AS4777) below. If you wish to delete or return an AS number that is no longer required, please email the APNIC hostmaster with your account name in the subject line.

Record resource and routing information

Configure network routers

You can use APNIC’s Routing Registry to configure network routers.

Use route objects to help configure your networks routers. Route objects, in combination with the aut-num and other related objects, can be used to describe your routing policy in compact form. This can help your network identify routing policy errors and omissions more easily than by reading long configuration files.

Use automated tools, such as the IRRToolset, to retrieve information from the route objects to create router configuration files for different architectures. Configuration files produced this way are less prone to errors than manually configured routers.

If your network needs are complex, there are optional advanced technical attributes that allow you to specify route aggregation.

Record Internet number resource delegation

Routing Policy specification Language (RPSL) allows networks to describe your routing policy in a compact form by using route, aut-num, and other related objects. Describing network policy using these objects can help your network identify routing policy errors and omissions more easily than by reading long configuration files.