RIPE Atlas and Globalping: Choosing the Right Network Measurement Platform

In today's world, where everything is interconnected, it's important to understand how our digital infrastructure, including the internet and our own smaller networks, performs.

Whether you're a seasoned network expert or just starting out, having the right tools at your disposal can make a big difference.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at two helpful tools: RIPE Atlas and Globalping. Both are network measurement platforms that allow you to evaluate the performance and reliability of networks using a globally distributed probe network.

We’ll also compare the two platforms and see in which use cases the newer Globalping platform can be a great RIPE Atlas alternative. By the end of the article, you may even want to use both platforms together to get the best insights!

Introducing the Platforms

To start, let's give you a brief introduction to the two tools:

Introducing Globalping

Founded by the jsDelivr team in 2021, Globalping is a platform that relies on an extensive probe network hosted in users' homes and offices worldwide. The platform aims to provide an excellent user experience, making it straightforward for users from all backgrounds to create their measurements effortlessly.

The platform is entirely open source, and all tools, including the API, are free to use. You can also support the project and its users by hosting one or more probes.

Globalping offers various official integrations and tools to ensure a seamless experience. For example, you can use the CLI tool to bring the platform's capabilities to your terminal.

Or you can add the Slack app to your workspace, which enables your team to collaborate and troubleshoot effectively, making Globalping an interesting RIPE Atlas alternative.

Introducing RIPE Atlas

RIPE Atlas was founded by the RIPE Network Coordination Centre (NCC) in 2010, and it has since grown its network to consist of over 12000 probes to measure internet connectivity worldwide. All data collected by the platform is publicly available, which makes it popular with researchers and organizations interested in monitoring and learning about the state of the internet in real-time.

By spending credits, you can create your own measurements and view the results in their dashboard, rendered over maps, or as raw data. You can earn credits in various ways, such as hosting a probe or purchasing credits directly, although that’s limited to bigger enterprises.

In addition, there are several tools available, including data parsers, CLI tools, and apps, which have been created by both the RIPE NCC and the community.

Comparing the Two Platforms

Below, you'll find a list of criteria along with some comments on how each platform handles and performs in those areas. Our goal is to emphasize the strengths of both platforms, as each one has its own features and benefits, catering to a wide range of users and use cases.

Probe Network

• Globalping: Has a quickly and continuously growing probe network. Anyone can host a probe – all you need to do is run the probe's Docker container on an internet-connected machine.

• RIPE Atlas: Offers an extensive probe network across the globe. If you want to host a probe, you need to apply for one first. If the network would benefit from your probe's location, you'll get a hardware probe sent to your address where you need to set it up.

Measurement Types

• Globalping: All tests report their results back in real-time, creating a feeling of local testing and allowing different kinds of new use cases. Supported test types are: Ping, Traceroute, DNS, HTTP (including SSL), and MTR.

• RIPE Atlas: The platform is focused more on scheduled measurements resulting in delays that may happen due to RIPE's complexity. Supported test types are: Ping, Traceroute, DNS, HTTP, SSL, and NTP.

Measurements and Costs

• Globalping: Enables you to create measurements for free, regardless of the tool you use, whether it is the API, CLI tool, or Slack app. However, some rate limits are in place to safeguard the API, which are usually sufficient for most users. But, if you need more, you can increase the limit by becoming a GitHub sponsor or earn free credits by hosting multiple probes at home, in the office, or on hosting providers.

• RIPE Atlas: Allows you to create measurements, but it costs credits. You can obtain credits by hosting a probe, requesting credits as a researcher, receiving transfers from other users, or buying credits by becoming a corporate sponsor. However, becoming a sponsor may be too pricey for individuals.

Internet Health Monitoring

• Globalping: Doesn't offer public internet health monitoring capabilities at the moment. Instead, it focuses on providing measurement creation capabilities to users.

• RIPE Atlas: Offers public access to all measurements. You can analyze internet health data by viewing maps and graphs, which provide detailed insights.

Custom Monitoring Capabilities

• Globalping: You can leverage the API to develop your own monitoring solution, which many companies already do. The Globalping team is also working on building a custom and scheduled monitoring platform. This platform will use the probe network to provide real-time and historical data on the performance and quality of any internet endpoint.

• RIPE Atlas: You can specify intervals and timeframes for running measurements, and then analyze the results using maps and graphs that the platform generates and displays on its website.

Use Cases

• Globalping: Designed to be used by users with various backgrounds and networking skills. It allows you to create network measurements effortlessly and for free, making it a great RIPE Atlas alternative when you want to learn more about networking or investigate your own networks in-depth. Overall, Globalping is suitable for both newcomers and network experts.

• RIPE Atlas: Tailored for researchers, academics, and anyone who needs access to aggregated internet connectivity data. The platform also allows you to investigate the impact of global or local incidents on internet health, such as natural catastrophes.

Commercial Use

• Globalping: Doesn't differentiate between personal and commercial use, and you don't need an account or authentication for basic tests.

• RIPE Atlas: If you plan to use the RIPE Atlas platform to provide paid services or products, there are some rules you need to follow. These rules include, for example, displaying the platform's logo and description. The platform's credit-based usage system also applies here.

Data Usage

• Globalping: Measurement results are stored for a limited time; only users with the measurement link can view them. Also, probe owners can see the tests their probe ran.

• RIPE Atlas: All measurements conducted on the platform are publicly accessible.

Tools and Integrations

• Globalping: Provides user-friendly tools and integrations for custom development, Slack, and GitHub. The Globalping team officially maintains all tools, ensuring ongoing development, support, and a consistent and modern UX.

• RIPE Atlas: You can find many open-source tools, including CLI tools and visualization libraries, on the website and on GitHub. Some of these tools were created during hackathons and may not be regularly maintained, so keep this in mind when searching for tools.

Getting Involved

• Globalping: Invites you to host one or more probes, become a GitHub sponsor, or contribute to the platform on GitHub. The team welcomes any feedback and feature requests, which are essential for the platform's continuous improvement and growth.

• RIPE Atlas: Encourages you to host a probe or an anchor, sponsor the project by buying credits, become an ambassador, or contribute to the open-source tools.

Is Globalping a RIPE Atlas Alternative?

Our comparison between Globalping and RIPE Atlas showed that both platforms have unique benefits:

With its extensive public internet health data, RIPE Atlas is great for researchers and network experts who require detailed analysis. On the other hand, Globalping's modern approach, user-friendly UX, and free measurements make it compelling for a wide range of users.

This makes it a great alternative to RIPE Atlas for individuals as well as companies ranging from startups to enterprises.

However, each platform has its features and strengths, so we think it's worth using them together. By leveraging Globalping to run real-time measurements in a comfortable way and RIPE Atlas to obtain aggregated data, you can get a more in-depth view of the state of the internet and your own networks.

If you're new to Globalping or looking for a straightforward way to get started with networking, we invite you to visit our website and create your first measurements!