Objective |
This proposal suggests implementing WHOIS Referral Server support so that transferred resource queries (e.g., ASN or IP addresses) are automatically redirected to the appropriate RIR database, NIR allocations can be easily accessed using a hierarchical system, and downstream allocation data can be accessible, enhancing transparency and traceability.
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Secretariat impact assessment |
The Secretariat notes that this proposal suggests to implementing WHOIS Referral Server support so that transferred resource queries (e.g., ASN or IP addresses) are automatically redirected to the appropriate RIR database, NIR allocations can be easily accessed using a hierarchical system, and downstream allocation data can be accessible, enhancing transparency and traceability.
Questions/Comments:
- Using RDAP instead of Whois is one way to address the first issue in the problem statement: the secretariat-provided RDAP service provides redirects for resources that belong to other RIRs, including for resources transferred between RIRs. There is currently up to a 2-day delay in redirects being issued correctly after a transfer has been processed, but this is an implementation issue that can be resolved easily.
- For the second issue, NIRs that maintain their own standalone Whois databases are also required to send that information to APNIC for publication via APNIC’s Whois service, subject to the regulatory/legal constraints under which they operate. The ‘source’ attribute in the Whois service response can be used to identify such information as being part of an NIR’s Whois database. NIRs that do not maintain their own standalone Whois database publish downstream delegation information via APNIC’s Whois database directly.
- For the third issue, account holders can use MyAPNIC or the registry API to publish downstream delegation information via APNIC’s Whois database.
- In some instances, an account holder may want to avoid sending downstream delegation information to APNIC, due to that data then being available publicly via APNIC’s Whois service. As per the current policy, Section 5.3 of the APNIC Internet Number Resource Policies, resource holders can register assignment information and may choose whether to designate this information as ‘public’ or ‘private’, with ‘private’ information being visible to the APNIC secretariat only. This ‘private’ option may address the concerns that some account holders have about sending this information to APNIC.
- Assuming that there is a need for account holders to run standalone services for downstream allocation information, RDAP is likely to be a better technical basis for a solution. RDAP supports redirects, is simple, and is already widely deployed. RWhois, by contrast, is a very complex protocol that is not widely used and has several technical deficiencies (e.g. unencrypted transport by default) that RDAP does not have.
- As stated in Section 3.2.1 of the APNIC Internet Number Resource Policies, the Secretariat along with resource holders, must consider privacy considerations of their customers when publishing such information and actively encouraging more detailed downstream allocation information would require a careful balance with such privacy considerations.
Implementation:
This proposal may require changes to APNIC systems. If this proposal reaches consensus, implementation may be completed within twelve (12) months.
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