AS stands for “autonomous system” and comprises a large number of small networks that together form an independent network that can function on its own (autonomously).
This system has a standardized routing guideline. For example, every device that establishes a connection to the Internet is connected to an autonomous system.
The AS controls a certain number of IP addresses, this range is also referred to as the IP address space. Data is exchanged by the data packets traveling through the Internet from one AS to another AS until they reach the destination address of the Internet protocol. Routers in the AS are responsible for sending the data packets to the IP address.