What are common IRR data sources for route policy and their limitations?

• A. RADB and RIPE NCC only; data is perfect and always current.
• B. RADB, RIPE NCC, APNIC, AfriNIC; data quality issues, staleness, inconsistent formats.
• C. APNIC and AfriNIC only; data is always fresh.
• D. All IRR sources are equally reliable and up-to-date.

Answer: (B)

IRR data sources for route policy come from public registries that store objects describing aut-num policies and route announcements, with the most commonly used ones including RADB, RIPE NCC, APNIC, and AfriNIC. These sources are valuable for understanding how networks intend to route traffic, but the data they provide is not perfect. Records can be stale because changes in routing policies aren’t always reflected promptly, and operators may forget to update entries. The quality of data varies across registries, and the formats and validation rules differ, which can lead to inconsistencies and parsing challenges. Because of these factors, IRR data is best viewed as a best-effort reference rather than a guaranteed, up-to-date truth, so operators often supplement it with additional checks or alternate sources. This combination of well-known IRRs and the realities of data quality and timeliness is why that option is the most accurate description.