specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
provider: ROR
providerId: ror
created: '2026-06-12'
modified: '2026-06-12'

description: >-
  ROR operates as a fully open, CC0-licensed registry with no direct cost to
  API consumers. All registry data and API access are provided free of charge.
  Beginning Q3 2026, a free client ID registration is required to maintain
  standard rate limits. The primary FinOps consideration is tracking API
  consumption to avoid rate limiting, and registering a client ID to ensure
  continued high-throughput access at no cost.

billingModel: free

focusColumns:
  - ChargeCategory
  - ChargeType
  - ResourceId
  - ResourceType
  - UsageQuantity
  - UsageUnit
  - BilledCost
  - EffectiveCost

meters:

  - name: API Requests
    description: Count of HTTP requests made to the ROR REST API endpoints
    unit: requests
    scope: ip-per-5-minutes
    rateLimit: 2000
    cost: 0.00
    currency: USD
    notes: >-
      No cost associated. Rate limiting enforced at 2,000 requests per 5-minute
      window per IP. Post Q3 2026, client ID required to maintain this limit.

  - name: Data Dump Downloads
    description: Full dataset downloads from Zenodo (120,000+ organization records)
    unit: downloads
    scope: global
    cost: 0.00
    currency: USD
    notes: >-
      No cost associated. Data is CC0 licensed and available via Zenodo at no
      charge. Recommended for bulk processing needs exceeding 10,000 records.

  - name: Client ID Registration
    description: One-time registration for a free API client ID
    unit: registrations
    scope: per-client
    cost: 0.00
    currency: USD
    notes: >-
      No cost associated. Required after Q3 2026 to maintain standard rate
      limits. Register at https://ror.org/api-client-id.

principles:

  - name: Visibility
    description: >-
      Track API request volume per IP address to anticipate rate limit
      boundaries. Monitor usage against the 2,000 requests/5-minute threshold.
      Register a client ID before Q3 2026 to maintain visibility into usage
      patterns and avoid service disruption.
    actions:
      - Monitor request volume against 2,000 requests per 5-minute rate limit
      - Register a free client ID at https://ror.org/api-client-id prior to Q3 2026
      - Use the health check endpoint (https://api.ror.org/heartbeat) to confirm API availability
      - Monitor service status at https://ror1.statuspage.io/

  - name: Optimization
    description: >-
      Optimize API usage by batching queries efficiently and using the data dump
      for bulk access needs exceeding 10,000 records. Implement caching for
      frequently requested organization records to reduce repeated API calls.
    actions:
      - Use full data dump via Zenodo for bulk processing (>10,000 records)
      - Cache ROR ID lookup results to minimize repeated API calls
      - Use advanced query parameters to retrieve targeted subsets rather than paginating all records
      - Implement exponential backoff for 429 rate-limit responses