Brilliant Performance by Gary Feldman

From The RIPE 55 Secret Working Group Session RIPE (Réseaux IP Européens) is a collaborative forum open to all parties interested in wide area IP networks in Europe and beyond. The objective of RIPE is to ensure the administrative and technical coordination necessary to enable the operation of a pan-European IP network.

RIPE 55 took place in Amsterdam at the Krasnapolsky Hotel between 22 and 26 October 2007.

Featuring recording of the "The Day that Routers Died"

(Set to AMERICAN PIE, by Don McLean)

a long long time ago i can still remember when my laptop could connect elsewhere

and i tell you all there was a day the network card i threw away had a purpose - and worked for you and me.... But 18 years completely wasted with each address we've aggregated the tables overflowing the traffic just stopped flowing....

And now we're bearing all the scars and all my traceroutes showing stars... the packets would travel faster in cars... the day....the routers died

Chorus (ALL!!!!!)

So bye bye, folks at RIPE 55 Be persuaded to upgrade it or your network will die IPv6 just makes me let out a sigh But I spose we'd better give it a try I suppose we'd better give it a try

Now did you write an RFC That dictated how we all should be Did we listen like we should that day

Now were you back at RIPE fifty-four Where we heard the same things months before And the people knew they'd have to change their ways....

And we - knew that all the ISPs Could be - future proof for centuries

But that was then not now Spent too much time playing WoW

ooh there was time we sat on IRC Making jokes on how this day would be Now there's no more use for TCP The day the routers died... Chorus (chime in now)

So bye bye, folks at RIPE 55 Be persuaded to upgrade it or your network will die IPv6 just makes me let out a sigh But I spose we'd better give it a try I suppose we'd better give it a try

I remember those old days I mourn Sitting in my room, downloading porn Yeah that's how it used to be....

When the packets flowed from A to B via routers that could talk IP There was data..that could be exchanged between you and me....

Oh but - I could see you all ignore The fact - we'd fill up IPv4

But we all lost the nerve And we got what we deserved!

And while...we threw our network kit away And wished we'd heard the things they say Put all our lives in disarray

The day...the routers died... Chorus (those silent will be shot)

So bye bye, folks at RIPE 55 Be persuaded to upgrade it or your network will die IPv6 just makes me let out a sigh But I spose we'd better give it a try I suppose we'd better give it a try

Saw a man with whom I used to peer Asked him to rescue my career He just sighed and turned away..

I went down to the net cafe that I used to visit everyday But the man there said I might as well just leave...

And now we've all lost our purpose.. my cisco shares completely worthless...

No future meetings for me At the Hotel Krasnapolsky

and the men that make us push and push Like Geoff Huston and Randy Bush Should've listened to what they told us.... The day...the routers....died Chorus (time to lose your voice)

So bye bye, folks at RIPE 55 Be persuaded to upgrade it or your network will die IPv6 just makes me let out a sigh But I spose we'd better give it a try I suppose we'd better give it a try

Words and performance by Gary Feldman

The RIPE NCC is an independent, not-for-profit membership organisation that supports the infrastructure of the Internet through technical co-ordination in its service region. The most prominent activity of the RIPE NCC is to act as the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) providing global Internet resources and related services (IPv4, IPv6 and AS Number resources) to members in the RIPE NCC service region. The membership consists mainly of Internet Service Providers (ISPs), telecommunication organisations and large corporations located in Europe, the Middle East and parts of Central Asia.