An IP address prefix is the range of IP addresses represented in that fashion: 192.0.2.0/24. When the network engineers communicate which IP addresses are controlled by which AS, they do so by talking about the IP address prefixes owned by each AS. More specifically, you can also call it IP block. The range of IP addresses on which an AS has control is called IP address space. Just like the town's post office, which is responsible for delivering the post to all the addresses within its territory. What is IP address space?Įvery AS controls a specific set of IP addresses. The routers within the AS sends that packet to the destined IP address.

Similarly, the data packets move from one AS to another AS, until it reaches the proper AS, containing the destination IP address. The mail moves from one office to another until it reaches the proper town, and that town's post office is responsible for delivering it to the correct destination. It allows its AS to exchange routing information with other systems.Ĭonsider an AS as a town's post office. So if the autonomous systems have to communicate with each other, they need a unique number or identifier.Įach autonomous system (AS) assigns a unique autonomous system number(ASN), a unique identifier that is globally available. In simple words, the autonomous system (AS) is the network or the group of networks with a SINGLE and CLEARLY DEFINED routing policy. Autonomous systems are the extensive networks that make up the internet. The internet world is the network of the networks. About ASN Whois Lookup Tool What is an autonomous system?.

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