Re: [registrars] Domain Expiration Date in Registry Managed Whois

[Jim Archer <jarcher@registrationtek.com>]

Rick, I still feel that we at least need to discuss getting this new data 
removed.  There is no reason for Verisign to be communicating with our 
customers at this level.  Having that expiration date in there only 
generates more tech support calls and increases the chances of an improper 
delete.


--On Monday, February 03, 2003 2:25 PM -0800 Rick Wesson <wessorh@ar.com> 
wrote:

>
>
> Last week the RC had a tele conf on the expiration date published in
> Registry whois and the confusion that develops since the date is in some
> cases inaccurate.
>
> Below is a draft discussion and recommendations based on information I
> collected from the registrars mailing list and the teleconference. These
> are meant to be a discussion and summary of the registrars position on the
> matter.
>
> please read the note below and comment on areas that need more discussion,
> feel free to submit additional language as I'm only playing the role of
> editor, not author, from here on out.
>
> best,
>
> -rick
>
> --------------------------------- cut here ---------------------------
>
> draft-rc-whois-expiration-date                               R Wesson
> Febuary 2, 2003                           CTO, Regitrars Constituency
>
>
>         Domain Expiration Date in Registry Managed Whois
>
> Discussion
>
>   The output of the internic.net whois produces confusing information
>   to registrants and end users of the domain name system. Previous to
>   the implementation of the Redemption Grace Periods for Deleted Names,
>   VGRS did not publish the date a domain is set to expire. The only
>   authoritative source for this information was the Registrar whois.
>
>   Since the implementation of additional fields in the registry whois
>   registrants may obtain the expiration date of a domain name from two
>   different sources, the registry and the registrar. These two sources
>   have drasticly different ways in calculating when a domain is set to
>   expire.
>
>   The Registrar whois provides the exact date of expiration and is
>   often updated on a real-time basis. Once a registrant renews a
>   domain the registrar will update the whois, in some cases within
>   seconds of processing the renewal. Registrants have an expectation
>   that once a renewal is processed the whois will reflect the new
>   expiration date.
>
>   the whois service operated by the .com and .net registry on the
>   Internic.net domain is only updated at 12 hour intervals and the
>   expiration date does not reflect an accurate date of when a domain
>   will expire. A registrant may renew a domain during a auto-renew
>   period or the registrar may let VGRS auto-renew the domain. Domain
>   that are in the auto-renewal grace period display a date as though
>   the domain had been renewed when in fact the domain has been
>   automaticly renewed by the registry while the registrant has not
>   yet renewed the domain.
>
>   The fact that the registry displays a date that informs the
>   registrant that the domain has been renewed when in fact the domain
>   is still about to expire is creating confusion among registrants.
>
>
>
> Recommendations
>
>   Additional text may limit confusion by stating explicitly that the
>   registrar is the authoritative source of the expiration date of a
>   domain and that domains on the Internic.net site only show the date
>   plus a pending renewal.
>
>   The registry could limit confusion by only showing the expiration
>   date after a domain is explicitly renewed.
>
>   An additional renewal or delete pending status, managed by the
>   registry, could aid in clarity of what the date actually means.
>
>   Change the heading from "Expiration Date" to text more descriptive
>   of the status of the domain.
>
>   A long term solution should be developed to address the auto renewal
>   grace period and its impact on financial impact.
>