In this episode of PING, Robert Kisteleki from the RIPE NCC discusses the RIPE Atlas system — a network of over 13,000 measurement devices deployed worldwide in homes, exchange points, stub and transit Autonomous Systems, densely connected regions and sparse island states.
Atlas began with a vision of the world at night — a powerful metaphor for where people are, and where technology reaches. Could a measurement system achieve sufficient density to ‘light up the Internet’ in a similar manner? Could network measurement be ‘democratized’ to include Internet citizens at large?
RIPE Atlas has come a long way from its launch in 2010 at the RIPE 61 meeting in Rome, Italy. What began with 500 probes based on a small uClinux device designed as an Ethernet converter has now seen five generations of improved probe hardware. As of 2025, the project includes a soft probe design, which can be installed on Linux, and an ‘anchor‘ device that not only sends tests but can receive them. Atlas has become a core technology for network monitoring, measurement and research.
Rob discusses the history, design, methodology and possible future evolutions of this contribution from the RIPE NCC to the Internet community at large.
Read more about RIPE Atlas and research outcomes on the web and on the APNIC Blog:
- The RIPE Atlas System (RIPE NCC Atlas home page)
- Lia Hestina discusses Atlas at APRICOT/APNIC 59 Petaling Jaya (PING Episode)
- Measuring Indonesia, one probe at a time (Lia Hestina, APNIC Blog)
- APNIC Blog articles on RIPE Atlas
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