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  A Proposal for Whois DB Query
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Proposed by: Jeng-jr Li, Taiwan Telecommunication Network Services
Version:     1.0
Date:        10 February 2004



Introduction
------------

Maintaining whois infomation is not an easy task for ISP or LIR. If 
there is already infomation existing in ISP, how about displaying the
whois query directly from ISP/LIR.


Summary of the current problem
------------------------------

1. Real time update:

   Some ISPs are hard to update the whois data whenever an IP 
   assignment changes.
   
   Also it's not realtime to batch update for ISP/LIR holding large
   IP blocks.
   
  This is a chain reaction of another issue, the accuracy of whois 
  infomation.


2. Man-hour, man-power issue

   NIC provides webs for LIR to update whois data, however it needs
   man-hour and man-power to process the data not suitable for LIR
   holding large IP blocks.


Situation in other RIRs
-----------------------


Details of proposal
-------------------

Suppose IP address is the requested info.

When a whois client query at a NIC's whois server, whois server will
know that the requested info can be resolved from the LIR's server.

1. The whois server can find the LIR's DNS Server from that IP 
   address's reverse zone record.

2. LIR's DNS server can response whois's query, otherwise back to 
   the conventional whois working model.
   
3. ISP/LIR's DNS server selecting fields from local DB, then feed 
   back to whois server.


Advantages and disadvantages of adopting the proposal
-----------------------------------------------------

Pros:

   The current whois protocol do NOT need to change.

   This proposed process can start from a local area, thus only 
   impact on one NIR and the volunteer LIR.

   Whois data no longer to update for volunteer LIR.


Cons:

   NIR have to prepare the additional programs.

   Volunteer LIR also have to prepare the additional programs on its 
   DNS server.

ps: sample programs for reference are provided


Effect on APNIC members
-----------------------

If the querying model accepted between APNIC and its members, 
members will not to update their IP block's infomation.


Effect on NIRs
--------------

NIR have to prepare the additional programs on its whois server.