[ga-sys] FW: WHOIS - conditions of use

[Joanna Lane <jo-uk@rcn.com>]

on 5/16/01 8:10 PM, Roeland Meyer at rmeyer@mhsc.com wrote:

> I hate to be doing any parade raining but,

That's ok...:-) 

whois isn't a centralized or
> centralizable system.

I question that it cannot be centralized, but I understand that there is
only one WHOIS server for each TLD. If so, provided they all comply to the
same regulations, I don't see it as a problem.

At issue is that the registry customarily runs the
> whois server.It is also true that not all registries support whois.

I don't see that as a problem, provided they comply with centralized
regulations. Which Registries do not run a WHOIS server and why not? Does
that mean there is no data at all in the public domain for some TLDs?

To
> bring them all together in a centralized place would break more than one
> existing compromise

What compromise?

, as well as, creating a monstrous synchronization
> problem. 

You're not going to like this but.... tech problems should never drive
anything related to policy development for social issues. History teaches us
that technical difficulties can be overcome and therefore should be a low
priority at this point. First we have to clarify the problem in terms of
what is, and is not, socially acceptable, and balance this against technical
requirements to maintain the stability of the net and in particular the DNS.
Once a socially acceptable solution is found, we identify the technical
difficulties in achieving the desired solution, then look for the technical
solution. If there is no existing technical solution, we have to develop
one. To work the other way round on this particular issue, it to put the
cart before the horse.


There is also the issue of creating a single point of failure that
> doesn't exist now.

Agreed, but if there's only one WHOIS server for each TLD, that is already a
single point of failure for that TLD isn't it?

> 
> I have a whois client that looks up the TLD and queries the appropriate
> host. It then takes the referer reference and re-queries the actual host
> that has the data. Note that ripe.net is already under EU dominion and
> they've already altered their whois output.

... and over time the rest will follow as they realize that they have no
idea how many EU citizens are already in their database. Interesting...

Regards,
Joanna.

> 
> These are the currently known-to-mhsc whois servers <tld>:<host name>
> 
> al:whois.ripe.net
> am:whois.amnic.net
> art:whois.skyscape.net
> arts:whois.skyscape.net
> at:whois.ripe.net
> az:whois.ripe.net
> ba:whois.ripe.net
> bank:whois.skyscape.net
> be:whois.ripe.net
> bg:whois.ripe.net
> biz:rs.mcs.net
> by:whois.ripe.net
> ca:whois.cdnnet.ca
> cdn:whois2.vrx.net
> ch:whois.nic.ch
> cn:whois.apnic.net
> com:rs.internic.net
> corp:rs.mcs.net
> cx:whois.nic.cx
> cy:whois.ripe.net
> cz:whois.ripe.net
> dds:whois.vrx.net
> de:whois.ripe.net
> dir:whois.skyscape.net
> dk:whois.ripe.net
> dz:whois.ripe.net
> edu:rs.internic.net
> ee:whois.ripe.net
> eg:whois.ripe.net
> es:whois.ripe.net
> faq:whois.vrx.net
> fi:whois.ripe.net
> film:whois.skyscape.net
> fo:whois.ripe.net
> fr:whois.ripe.net
> fund:whois.skyscape.net
> gallery:whois.vrx.net
> gb:whois.ripe.net
> ge:whois.ripe.net
> gmbh:whois.vrx.net
> gov:whois.nic.gov
> gr:whois.ripe.net
> help:whois.skyscape.net
> hk:whois.apnic.net
> hotel:whois.skyscape.net
> hr:whois.ripe.net
> hu:whois.ripe.net
> ie:whois.ripe.net
> il:whois.ripe.net
> is:whois.ripe.net
> isp:whois.skyscape.net
> it:whois.ripe.net
> jp:whois.nic.ad.jp
> k12:rs.mcs.net
> kr:whois.apnic.net
> li:whois.nic.ch
> list:whois.vrx.net
> llb:whois.vrx.net
> lt:whois.ripe.net
> lu:whois.ripe.net
> lv:whois.ripe.net
> ma:whois.ripe.net
> md:whois.ripe.net
> med:whois.skyscape.net
> mil:nic.ddn.mil
> mk:whois.ripe.net
> mt:whois.ripe.net
> mx:nic.mx
> music:whois.skyscape.net
> net:rs.internic.net
> nic:whois.vrx.net
> nl:domain-registry.nl
> no:whois.ripe.net
> npo:rs.mcs.net
> org:rs.internic.net
> pl:whois.ripe.net
> prices:whois.vrx.net
> pt:whois.ripe.net
> radio:whois.skyscape.net
> ro:whois.ripe.net
> ru:whois.ripn.ru
> se:whois.nic-se.se
> si:whois.ripe.net
> sk:whois.ripe.net
> sky:whois.skyscape.net
> sm:whois.ripe.net
> sql:whois.vrx.net
> su:whois.ripe.net
> tj:whois.nic.tj 
> tn:whois.ripe.net
> tr:whois.ripe.net
> tw:whois.apnic.net
> ua:whois.ripe.net
> uk:whois.nic.uk
> us:whois.isi.edu
> va:whois.ripe.net
> video:whois.skyscape.net
> xxx:whois.skyscape.net
> yu:whois.ripe.net
> zine:whois.skyscape.net
> zoo:whois.vrx.net
> 800:whois.vrx.net
> 888:whois.vrx.net
> int:whois.isi.edu
> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Joanna Lane [mailto:jo-uk@rcn.com]
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2001 4:39 PM
>> To: Roeland Meyer
>> Cc: ga-sys@dnso.org
>> Subject: WHOIS - conditions of use
>> 
>> 
>> It might be useful to have this as a seperate thread and work
>> on a document
>> that summarizes what we think are appropriate reasons for
>> accessing WHOIS
>> data and in each instance, what is the *minimum* data that is
>> required for
>> that specific purpose.
>> 
>> This will then show whether or not WHOIS can meet the
>> criteria of the EU
>> Privacy law while remaining in the public domain, also
>> clarifying what data
>> it needs to comprise. Actually, this may get unmanageable,
>> but it's a start.
>> 
>> For the purposes of this exercise, it is assumed that the
>> WHOIS database is
>> a new centralized operation run by a new entity with GAC oversight.
>> 
>> WHOIS CONDITIONS OF USE
>> 
>> 1.Purpose:
>> Denial of Service Attack
>> Data required: 
>> Technical contact phone number, email,
>> Primary and secondary servers
>> 
>> 
>> 2. Purpose:
>> Network troubleshooting (clarify specific purpose)
>> Data required:
>> Availability:
>> 
>> 3. Purpose
>> Service of Legal Notices for trademark infringement
>> Data required:
>> Service Agent Name and address
>> 
>> 
>> 4.Purpose:
>> Criminal investigation by Police and Relevant authorities
>> Access required:
>> All data
>> 
>> 5. Purpose:
>> Registry records of customers
>> Data required:
>> 
>> 
>> 6. Purpose:
>> Reviewing data on record and updating contact details
>> Data required:
>> All data
>> 
>> 7. Purpose:
>> 

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