[Apologies for duplicate mails.] Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to announce added functionality to the LIR Portal, the web interface that provides LIRs with increased access to the RIPE NCC. As part of an ongoing commitment to security and reliability we have deployed our own Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) within the LIR Portal. Members can generate an X.509 certificate and then use it to access the LIR Portal in a secure and seamless manner. More information on PKI can be found in the draft document "Improved Secure Communication System for RIPE NCC Members" found at: http://www.ripe.net/ripe/draft-documents/pki-20030429.html The LIR Portal also includes an Allocation Editor. The Allocation Editor allows an LIR to update specific fields, including contact information, within an allocation inetnum object without having to contact a RIPE NCC Hostmaster. This feature will allow LIRs to make these changes much faster than in the past. Finally, you will find a new section on the LIR Portal entitled "Tools" that presents a collection of useful member tools and utilities. This section includes: Online Meeting Registration Whois Queries Online Bill Payment Ticket Information and Status IPCount Password Encryption RIS Queries Online Training Registration More features will be added to the LIR Portal to enhance ease of use, manipulation of data and easy access to the RIPE NCC's services. We welcome your feedback. Comments on these and other features of the LIR Portal should be sent to <lirportalfeedback@ripe.net>. Kind regards, Axel Pawlik