Alun Davies
Based in Amsterdam
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About the author
Based in Amsterdam
Hailing from a research background in philosophy, linguistics and computer science, I came to the RIPE NCC back in 2016 and took on my role as the RIPE Labs Editor in 2020.
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Introducing RIPE Atlas v3 Anchors
The wait for the next generation of RIPE Atlas anchors is at an end. The RIPE NCC is ready to start approving applications for the new RIPE Atlas v3 anchors...although at a steady pace to start.
The Next Generation of RIPE Atlas Anchors
With the v2 RIPE Atlas anchors no longer in production, we're busy looking at new hardware options. Here's the story so far.
Anchoring Measurements: Bringing Back the Balance
Ever since the RIPE Atlas anchor network went online, the RIPE NCC has been scheduling anchoring measurements to provide a clear overview of the health of the network. Over time, however, a certain imbalance has crept into such measurements. Here's a look at the problem along with our solution.
Next Five Sponsored RIPE Atlas Anchors
The second phase of the RIPE NCC’s campaign to sponsor 15 RIPE Atlas anchors has been completed, with another five anchor hosts selected for sponsorship. We want to tell you about the new anchor hosts and also take a look at some related developments here at the RIPE NCC.
Research on DNS Root Server System
APNIC and the RIPE NCC are about to conduct some joint research on the DNS root server system. Here's a quick heads up on our plans.
Update: First Five Sponsored RIPE Atlas Anchors
The RIPE NCC launched its campaign to sponsor fifteen new RIPE Atlas anchors in January. We're glad to announce that we've now selected the first five candidates who'll benefit from the campaign!
Campaign to Sponsor 15 RIPE Atlas Anchors
The RIPE NCC is pleased to announce that we will be sponsoring 15 new RIPE Atlas anchors in 2017. This article provides details about the campaign and introduces the criteria that will be used to decide which applicants will receive sponsorship.
DNS Measurements Hackathon 2017
The RIPE NCC's fifth hackathon event will happen in Amsterdam, in April 2017. We would like to invite operators, designers, researchers and developers to take on the challenge and join us in developing new tools and visualisations for DNS measurements.
Four Years of RIPE Atlas Anchors
Four years have passed since the RIPE NCC announced its plans to put RIPE Atlas anchors into production. Since the first anchors went online in 2013, we’ve been working hard to both maintain and expand the network. As a result, we currently have 238 anchors deployed across 66 countries!
Changes to RIPE Atlas API Keys
We’ve made some changes to RIPE Atlas API Keys with the aim of improving the experience of RIPE Atlas users. The changes are designed to boost transparency and efficiency in the way users are able to manage their API Keys.
Rolling Out the RIPE Atlas Redesign
You may have noticed that, as of this past week, RIPE Atlas is looking different. To explain what's changed and why, here's a quick update on our latest efforts in rolling out the new design we've been working on for our services.
IGF 2018 Liveblog
The 13th annual meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) runs from 12-14 November 2018 in Paris. The RIPE NCC staff at the event will be liveblogging key moments and session take-aways. Check back on this page for regular updates on the issues, arguments and ideas from RIPE NCC staff and RIPE…
Outcome of the RIPE Atlas Anchor VMs Pilot
The pilot we ran to assess the feasibility of involving virtual machines in the pool of RIPE Atlas anchors is complete and the results are good.
The Avans Academy - Top of the Class in IPv6 Usage in the Netherlands
Together with SURFnet we met with Harold van Ham and David Schrok, both active in the IPv6 team at the University of Applied Sciences in Breda and talked to them about the steps they took to deploy IPv6 in their network.
Showing 4 article(s)
“Hi, I did apply for the the probe on 03/03/2019 #24295. Any news available, about the distribution?”
Hi Carlos - apologies for the late response. The first batch of RIPE Atlas version 4 probes have all been distributed and we are currently at the planning stage for the next batch. If you're keen to make use of RIPE Atlas while you wait for a probe to reach you, we would be happy to send you some credits. Please contact us on atlas@ripe.net if you'd like us to set this up for you.
“Are all new applications that are shipped out the new v4 probes?”
Strictly speaking, some of the people out there who help us distribute probes probably still have a few of the v3 devices left in stock, and so it may be the case that a small number of these end up back in distribution. However, with v3 no longer in production, v4 is now the default model, and new hosts should expect to receive v4 probes.
“Is it possible to develop a probe in the form of a package for the firmware openwrt or dd-wrt and other similar? Then no separate equipment is required.”
As I say, we are still in the process of exploring the different options for how best to move forward with software probes. But indeed, any option would be aimed at eliminating the need for separate equipment.
“Where do I sign up to test/get a VM Probe??”
The VM option only applies to RIPE Atlas anchors. To apply for a VM anchor, fill out the usual application form for anchors hosts, making sure to tick the 'virtual machine' option at the top of the form: atlas.ripe.net/get-involved/become-an-anchor-host/
“Is there some way to build a probe myself? I wouldn't mind buying the hardware myself and flash the firmware manually. Would like to support the project without causing you more costs for hardware.”
Thanks for this. The software option that we're working on right now will allow people to host probes on their own devices. We're glad to see that there's an interest in this option in the community, and we'll be keeping you updated as soon as there are any new developments on this front.
“where can i buy one?”
You can apply to host a RIPE Atlas probe for free. To do this, you first need to create a RIPE NCC Access account and fill in the application form. We'll then evaluate your request. To get started, visit: atlas.ripe.net/get-involved/become-a-host/
“The following anchors were deployed last year in Africa, I didn't see this on your map: gh-acc-as30997.anchors.atlas.ripe.net ng-los-as37495.anchors.atlas.ripe.net rw-kgl-as328014.anchors.atlas.ripe.net ug-kla-as37386.anchors.atlas.ripe.net”
The map only shows anchors that were added as part of the RIPE NCC's 2018 campaign to sponsor new anchors. Apologies for the confusion. I updated the article slightly to make this more clear.
“Very bad quality of Verbatim stick & probe firmware! Too many filesystem crash. And now one of two probe - stick is read only... i use my personal flash disk... Too bad for the equipment that I gave free shelter...”
Hi Vlad, We understand your frustration and we've been working hard to overcome the issues with RIPE Atlas probe USB sticks. As mentioned in the article, we recently launched a new firmware update that seems to have gone some way towards resolving the issue (more on this here: https://labs.ripe.net/Members/kistel/ripe-atlas-countering-hardware-issues-with-better-firmware). That said, we're aware that this is not a complete fix, and we really do appreciate the efforts you're making to keep your probes connected.
Thanks! We spotted that just now and it's been changed from 2017 to 2021 as you pointed out.
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