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Creating Route object
Introduction
Route objects and other routing information can only be created in an Internet Routing Registry (IRR). There are several IRRs (ie. AFRINIC IRR, RIPE IRR, RADB) throughout the world and their purpose is to ensure stability and consistency of global routing by facilitating information share between network operators. The information in this page provides guidelines necessary to create a route object in the AFRINIC Database . This guide assumes that the reader is already an AFRINIC member and is therefore familiar with the basic methods of interacting with the WHOIS database.
Procedure to create a route object in AFRINIC Database
AFRINIC’s database has a web-based interface from which all other objects can be added or even modified or deleted. The interface could be accessed here.
Objects can also be created using the e-mail method as follow:
- Using a Unix/Linux WHOIS command line client:
$ whois -h whois.afrinic.net -t route
% This is the AfriNIC Whois server.
route: [mandatory] [single] [primary/look-up key] descr: [mandatory] [multiple] [ ] origin: [mandatory] [single] [primary/inverse key] holes: [optional] [multiple] [ ] org: [optional] [multiple] [inverse key] member-of: [optional] [multiple] [ ] inject: [optional] [multiple] [ ] aggr-mtd: [optional] [single] [ ] aggr-bndry: [optional] [single] [ ] export-comps: [optional] [single] [ ] components: [optional] [single] [ ] remarks: [optional] [multiple] [ ] notify: [optional] [multiple] [inverse key] mnt-lower: [optional] [multiple] [inverse key] mnt-routes: [optional] [multiple] [inverse key] mnt-by: [mandatory] [multiple] [inverse key] changed: [mandatory] [multiple] [ ] source: [mandatory] [single] [ ]
- Complete the object by replacing the attribute placeholders with the proper values, and adding a password attribute (or PGP-signing the object) depending on the auth mechanism indicated in the mnt-routes of the associated inetnum/inet6num and/or aut-num objects. E-mail the object to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
- Mandatory Objects
Route object depends on other basic objects, that must be created first.
- A person object - needs to be created if it does not exist. This object contains information about the technical or administrative contact(s) that will be responsible for the route and other objects in the database. To create a person object please refer to AFRINIC Database Reference Manual: Getting Started.
- A mntner object – route objects and AS numbers need to authenticate against a maintainer object (mntner) that ensures full data protection of your person, route or aut-num object. It specifies authentication information required to authorise creation, deletion or modification of the objects protected by said mntner. To create a mntner object please refer to AFRINIC Database Reference Manual: Getting Started.
Route object can now be created since all required objects are in place.
2. Basic Objects
An aut-num object – defines the number of the AS that originates the prefix into the inter-AS routing system. This object should have been created for you by AFRINIC hostmaster.
A route object- is what ties your prefix to the aut-num object provided to you. To create a route object:
- Access AFRINIC WHOIS Web Interface
- In the “Create Object” tab select route
- Click on “Load”
- In the “Object(s) list” window fill in information that is mandatory. Note that the route field should be filled with the IPv4 prefix that you intend to route while the origin field should have your assigned aut-num.
- Drag and drop the org field from right to left panel and fill up
- Click on Create to commit the object to the database
3. Advanced objects
This section describes how to create other objects that are not commonly used.
Route object for IPv6 prefix: this will depend on whether you have IPv6 resources or not.
- Access AFRINIC WHOIS Web Interface
- In the “Create Object” tab select route6
- Click on “Load”
- In the “Object(s) list” window fill in information that is mandatory
- Drag and drop the org field from right to left panel and fill it up
- Click on Create to commit the object to the database
AS-SET: operators who provide IP transit services need this object. They use the AS-SET object to indicate the ASNs of the customers whose traffic will cross their networks.
- Access AFRINIC WHOIS Web Interface
- In the “Create Object” tab select as-set
- Click on “Load”
- In the “Object(s) list” window fill in information that is mandatory
- Drag and drop the org field from right to left panel and fill it up
- Click on Create to commit the object to the database
4. Special cases
There are certain cases in which you will not be able to create routes objects.
Case 1: AS numbers not existing in the AFRINIC’s database and belonging to a third party
In this case, please contact AFRINIC hostmaster This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Case 2: AS numbers existing in the AFRINIC’s database and belonging to a third party
In this case, it will be better to ask the organisation who has been assigned the ASN to create the route object for you as their aut-num object will be having a mnt-lower or mnt-routes which must authorise creation of routing information.