Dear Colleagues, This morning, the primary server for the RIPE Database had a serious hardware failure. Since that time, no updates of the RIPE Database have been possible. Queries are possible, but using the backup service. We are currently restoring the data. We must do this from backup tapes; thus, we do not expect to resume normal service until sometime between 2000 and 2200 GMT tonight. If you have sent updates, there is no need to send them again; they are being queued on another machine. We realise that this situation may cause you some inconvenience, but we are making every effort to fix it as quickly as possible. We are also investigating the subtle hardware failure that caused the original problem. If you have anymore questions, please contact <ripe-dbm@ripe.net>. Regards, A. M. R. Magee _______________________ RIPE NCC Database Group