November 1998 - db-wg - mailman.ripe.net

<auto-dbm@ripe.net> is slow this afternoon.
by RIPE Database Administration 17 May '18

17 May '18

Dear Colleagues, Because of a very high level of use this afternoon, the response time of <auto-dbm(a)ripe.net> is longer than normal. I have made contact with those who are responsible and I expect the situation to improve as the machine works through the queue. Please be patient. Obviously we at the RIPE NCC Database Group are continuously working to make the performance of the database as good as possible. However, we cannot make improvements in zero time. We thank you for your co-operation up to now and we ask for your continued co-operation so that everyone receives the best possible service. If you have anymore questions, please contact <ripe-dbm(a)ripe.net>. Regards, Ambrose Magee ____________________________ RIPE Database Administration.

2 2

New RIPE database software release
by RIPE Database Administration 16 Dec '98

16 Dec '98

Dear Colleagues, we are happy to announce the new release of RIPE database software. It is running now on our production system and is available for download from: ftp://ftp.ripe.net/ripe/dbase/software/ripe-dbase-2.2.tar.gz. Release notes are in: ftp://ftp.ripe.net/ripe/dbase/software/RELEASE-NOTES-2.2 Most important new features are: - PGP authentication support - referral mechanism for domains - referential integrity checks - new syntax checks - bug fixes For more details please read the release notes. If you have any problems, questions, remarks, bug reports - please send mail to ripe-dbm(a)ripe.net. User documentation describing new release is being worked on and we hope to make it available soon. We would also like to inform you that we have migrated our database server to new hardware and OS platform - it is now running on Sun Enterprise E450 machine under Solaris 2.6 operating system. We hope you will experience performance improvements. Best regards, Roman Karpiuk RIPE NCC Database Group

5 4

Re: Ripe change to whois
by Hank Nussbacher 03 Dec '98

03 Dec '98

At 04:00 PM 11/30/98 +0100, Joao Luis Silva Damas wrote: Just check http://www.checkdomain.com with some nonexistant domain housed at RIPE and tell me if something isn't wrong here. -Hank >Hello. > >I am including the tld-wg into this discussion so as to make sure all involved >parties are aware of the discussion. > > Alexander Koch <akoch(a)sgh-net.de> writes: > * Hello. > * > * > The design of this feature was specified some time ago by Carol Orange and > * > * > Wilfried Woeber (please see http://www.ripe.net/meetings/ripe/ripe-27/pres > * /rout > * > e/referral/) and discussed in the RIPE db-wg mailing list (please see > * > http://www.ripe.net/mail-archives/db-wg/19970501-19970601/threads.html) > * > * Oh. Fine. Do I get it right that this was discussed and agreed on > * more than a year ago? Argh. > * > >Yes, indeed. We had a period where we have been late with developments. That >period is now behind us. > > * This change breaks too many things, imnsho, and it seems again that if > * you are not able to make it to the RIPE meetings, you have lost. A > * special announce would have been most helpful (an explicit one, stating > * this). > * > >But, we did... or so I thought. We'll look into more ways of getting this >announcements across while trying to minimize the mails sent to people who >don't care about this. > >This particular feature has been actively asked for by the ccTLD >adninistrators and seen as a good thing by everyone I have had a chance to >speak with. These are actually the first complaints about it we have got so >far. > > * > As a side note I would like to stress that the RIPE Database is NOT the so > * urce > * > of authoritative data for domain objects (although we are happy to provide > * a > * > repository for TLD administrators). > * > This is UNLIKE the internic whose business is to sell names. > * > * Oh. Fine. whois.nic.de *cough* barely ever working... Weak argument. > * And If I wanted to know the data about the domain one level higher, > * I can do so myself, I don't need to get it told to me by whois, I > * want to know whether crab.de (bad example, it really exists) is in > * the DB already or not. > >I am sorry but I can't talk about the availability of services we don't >operate. > >I am sure you can look up domains yourself but this was actually seen as >providing the users (specially the ones less familiar with the RIPE DB) with >help on where to find the correct information. > >It seems to me that over time people have developed a sense that the RIPE DB >is the authoritative source of information regarding domain names in Europe. >May be this issue should be up for debate now. > >As a matter of fact the referral mechanism was seen as a way for ccTLD >administrators to include information in the Database pointing to their own >authoritative sources of information. > > * > * > The RIPE NCC is therefore acting according to users directives that were > * > discussed and agreed on an open way. > * > * Hitchhiker's Guide, anyone? *sigh* > >??? > > * > * This was a not-so-nice change, really. Consider this a statement of > * disagreement with the way the change took place. Ok, one more mailling > * list to follow... Time to sell. > >Will do so. As I said before, we will keep modifying and developing the RIPE >DB software and in particular this feature if users feel that is what they >want. We will also provide our point view. >I would like to have the input of the community. > >Regards, >Joao > > * > * Regards, > * Alexander Koch > * > * -- > * SGH Internet Division, Alexander Koch, Systems Administration > * Hannover, Germany, Phone +49 511 909198 0, Fax +49 511 391307 > * > > >

4 4

NIC handle writeup
by David Kessens 02 Dec '98

02 Dec '98

Hi, We discussed in depth the issue of NIC handles during the db-wg session of the Stockholm RIPE meeting. I promised to write a draft with a proposal. It's enclosed below for your review, David K. --- Internet Engineering Task Force David Kessens Draft ISI Expires March 1999 <draft-kessens-registryobject-identifiers.txt> Registry Object Identifiers Status of this Memo This document is an Internet-Draft. Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), its areas, and its working groups. Note that other groups may also distribute working documents as Internet-Drafts. Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any time. It is inappropriate to use Internet- Drafts as reference material or to cite them other than as ``work in progress.'' To learn the current status of any Internet-Draft, please check the ``1id-abstracts.txt'' listing contained in the Internet- Drafts Shadow Directories on ftp.is.co.za (Africa), nic.nordu.net (Europe), munnari.oz.au (Pacific Rim), ds.internic.net (US East Coast), or ftp.isi.edu (US West Coast). Abstract NIC handles have existed for a long time while they were never properly defined. At the same time, many registries started with their own interpretation of a definition that didn't exist. This document attempts to describe a definition that mostly backwards compatible with the definitions that most registries currently use. Introduction For a long time, a need existed for a unique identifier to identify personal data in the regional registries. The NIC handle has been invented to address this issue. However, the concept of NIC handles has never been documented in any place and as a result, several registries use different definitions. This draft is an attempt to write up a definition that is compatible with the current definitions that most registries use and that allows other, possibly new registries, to design their own identifiers that Kessens [Page 1] Draft RIDE References August 1997 are guaranteed to be unique. In addition, this document generalizes the concept to allow registries to use these unique identifiers for other classes (like host objects) then the personal data classes. Concepts The identifier consists of two parts: - internal registry identifier The identifier is unique within the registry, but doesn't need to be unique on a global scale. This gives the registry maximum freedom to design their own identifiers for local use. In the past, one of the most difficult problems was the entropy in the the NIC handle name space. - global registry identifier This identifier makes the internal registry identifier unique on a global scale. A registry can be queried using the internal identifier or with a combination of internal and global identifier. The registry will add it's own identifier when the internal identifier is omitted. Definition InternalIdentifier[@GlobalIdentifier] The global identifier is the same as a domain which is in use by the registry. The internal identifier is an RPSL word [1]. Identifiers are not case sensitive. Discussion No central authority was ever present to allocate global identifiers. This caused name collisions. However, it's undesirable to have such an authority. Therefore, it is needed to get an identifier from some other already defined namespace. The domain name system provides us such an identifier with minimal cost. A convention for internal identifiers for use in conjunction with Kessens [Page 2] Draft RIDE References August 1997 personal data exists: InitialsOfPerson# It is recommended but not required to follow this convention. The '@' sign is choosen since it cannot be part of the internal identifier. In the past '-' was used which is causing ambiguities. It is not required that every registry is actually using the convention. A registry can mirror another registries data that doesn't participate in the scheme and assign a global identifier using a domain that is used by the other registry. Example example: KH1(a)ARIN.NET KH1 is local identifier ARIN.NET is global registry identifier (last part of domain name can possibly be omitted) Security considerations The model describes a dataformat which doesn't have security problems in itself. It doesn't make the system more or less secure. Acknowledgments The ideas presented in this document are a composition of ideas and thoughts of the author and many other people that have developed over the years. In particular, the people that were present at the RIPE database working group, IETF ride BOFs and their respective mail lists have had quite some influence on the final outcome of this draft. References [1] Cengiz Alaettinoglu e.a., RPSL, rfc2280.txt Author's Address: David Kessens, ISI Kessens [Page 3] Draft RIDE References August 1997 4676 Admiralty Way, Suite 1001 Marina del Rey, CA 90292-6695 USA davidk(a)ISI.EDU Kessens [Page 4]

4 6

Re: Ripe change to whois
by Hank Nussbacher 01 Dec '98

01 Dec '98

At 01:01 PM 11/30/98 +0100, Joao Luis Silva Damas wrote: Yes, that may be all correct - from a techno standpoint. What I am stressing is the human engineering aspect. Up till now, thousands of hits are sent to the whois.ripe.net every month to determine whether a domain exists or not. Users have been doing this for years. Suddenly, the output is different and they do not realize it. I highly doubt that the human engineering aspect was discussed or analyzed to any extent in the DB WG. -Hank >Dear all, > >The implementation of the referral mechanism is a new feature of the latest >release of the RIPE DB software. > >The design of this feature was specified some time ago by Carol Orange and >Wilfried Woeber (please see http://www.ripe.net/meetings/ripe/ripe-27/pres/rout >e/referral/) and discussed in the RIPE db-wg mailing list (please see >http://www.ripe.net/mail-archives/db-wg/19970501-19970601/threads.html) > >According to this proposal the algorithm to be implemented is > >(extracted from the proposal): >*********** >Algorithm >--------- >If the following query is submitted to the RIPE database: > > whois [flags] xxx.yyy.zz > >the algorithm will work as follows: > >------- >NAME="xxx.yyy.zz" > >until (NAME = "") { > If object with domain = NAME found, > If object contains referral (see "Referral" below) > forward query (see "Forward" below) > Else > return object > Else > Strip(NAME) (xxx.yyy.zz -> yyy.zz, etc) >} > > >NOTES >----- >1. We move up the tree here, and return the next level answer >if present. If the query requests "tuintje.cwi.nl" (Piet, do you >mind?), they currently get "No entries found ...". In the new >mechanism, they would get: > >domain: cwi.nl >. >. >. >mnt-by: NL-DOMREG >changed: hostmaster(a)domain-registry.nl 19950227 >source: RIPE > >Moreover, if the object for cwi.nl contains a referral, the query >would be passed on to the specified server as explained below. > >2. The algorithm will be set off by any query which causes a search in >the domain object index. This means any query with "-T domain", or >any general query (no -T flag) with something that "looks like a >domain". >************* > >Currently and due to s small desynchronization within the RIPE NCC DB group >and the fact that the proposal was not clear about a particular point the >referred query is for the truncated object in the RIPE DB containing the refer >attribute. We want to modify this so that the query to the authoritative >server is for the user's initial query and not the result of the truncating >algorithm. This change will take place either today or tomorrow and a note >will be sent to the db-wg. > >As a side note I would like to stress that the RIPE Database is NOT the source >of authoritative data for domain objects (although we are happy to provide a >repository for TLD administrators). >This is UNLIKE the internic whose business is to sell names. > >The RIPE NCC is therefore acting according to users directives that were >discussed and agreed on an open way. > >We are happy to hear any comments about this or any other issues regarding the >DB software and will keep working to suggest and provide users with >functionality that will help them the most. > >Please send any comments to the RIPE mailing lists. > >Best regards, >Joao Damas >RIPE DB Group manager >RIPE NCC > > > NCC local-ir list Moderator <lir-mod(a)ripe.net> writes: > * > * I feel this is more appropriate to be discussed on the db-wg. > * > * Mirjam Kuehne > * RIPE NCC > * > * ------- Forwarded Message > * > * Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 19:21:13 +0200 > * To: <local-ir(a)ripe.net> > * From: Hank Nussbacher <hank(a)ibm.net.il> > * Subject: Ripe change to whois > * > * I may have missed it, but a serious *bad* change has occured to the whois > * interface. Previously, if I did a check on abcdef.co.il and abcdef did not > * exist, whois would return an error message. Now, whois returns the domain > * and role records for the next upper level domain - i.e. co.il or .il. Other > * examples: zzzz.ac.uk, zzzz.ac.at. > * > * How did I find out about this? I received 3 phone calls already in the past > * 24 hours from users in Israel stating that I personally am registered as > * owner of hundreds of domains. They state that being on the board of the > * ISOC-IL which oversees the registration, I have violated the rules (limit of > * 10 domains per person - other countries have similar restrictions). I have > * tried explaining to them that I am not the owner of these domains. If it > * was 1 user, I would assume they didn't read the entry correctly. But the > * fact that 3 totally different people have called me to ask whether I would > * sell certain domain names to them, I can only conclude that the RIPE change > * is not that successful. > * People have been used to getting an error message from RIPE, similar to the > * "No match" one gets from Internic. When they now get a valid response, they > * don't bother to check that the response is not for the domain they > * requested. There is no error message or error code. > * > * This needs to be rectified (and changes discussed in the future - ignore if > * it has been mentioned). > * > * - -Hank Nussbacher > * ISOC-IL board member > * > * > * > * > * ------- End of Forwarded Message > * > * > * > > >

4 7

Re: Ripe change to whois
by Hank Nussbacher 30 Nov '98

30 Nov '98

At 02:17 PM 11/30/98 +0100, Joao Luis Silva Damas wrote: Phone call #4 today. User goes to http://www.checkdomain.com to determine if ubuy.co.il is valid. www.checkdomain.com says the domain is owned by me (Internet Society of Israel). Now try it for xxxyyy.co.at or xxxxyyy.co.ie or any domain for that matter located at whois.ripe.net. This is just one Internet site that has based its site and code on how RIPE works. There very well may be others. -Hank >Dear Hank, > >May be (or may be not) the "human engineering aspects" were discussed enough >but, please, >if things like this affect your work so much, get into the db-wg mailing list >and give your input. > >The TLD wg was also involved in this and they were actually very much looking >forward to have this mechanism in place. > >If you still feel that "This needs to be rectified" you can discuss this with >the community, although it would have been better to discuss all this when the >design was proposed instead of going around the loop again (which, of course, >we'll do if users want to). > >I'll wait and listen. > >Regards, >Joao > > Hank Nussbacher <hank(a)ibm.net.il> writes: > * At 01:01 PM 11/30/98 +0100, Joao Luis Silva Damas wrote: > * > * Yes, that may be all correct - from a techno standpoint. What I am > * stressing is the human engineering aspect. Up till now, thousands of hits > * are sent to the whois.ripe.net every month to determine whether a domain > * exists or not. Users have been doing this for years. Suddenly, the output > * is different and they do not realize it. I highly doubt that the human > * engineering aspect was discussed or analyzed to any extent in the DB WG. -H > * ank > * > >

1 0

Ripe change to whois
by NCC local-ir list Moderator 30 Nov '98

30 Nov '98

I feel this is more appropriate to be discussed on the db-wg. Mirjam Kuehne RIPE NCC ------- Forwarded Message Date: 26 Nov 1998 17:21:38 -0000 Received: (qmail 23377 invoked by uid 0); 26 Nov 1998 17:21:35 -0000 Received: from ncc.ripe.net (193.0.1.99) by postman.ripe.net with SMTP; 26 Nov 1998 17:21:35 -0000 Received: from postman.ripe.net by ncc.ripe.net with SMTP id AA27381 (5.65a/RIPE-NCC); Thu, 26 Nov 1998 18:21:34 +0100 Received: (qmail 23374 invoked by uid 0); 26 Nov 1998 17:21:30 -0000 Received: from biff.ibm.net.il (192.115.72.164) by postman.ripe.net with SMTP; 26 Nov 1998 17:21:30 -0000 Received: from docking.interall.co.il (dial1.tlv.ibm.net.il [192.116.177.129]) by biff.ibm.net.il (8.8.8/8.8.2) with SMTP id TAA31544 for <local-ir(a)ripe.net>; Thu, 26 Nov 1998 19:21:26 +0200 Message-Id: <2.2.32.19981126172113.006820b4(a)max.ibm.net.il> X-Sender: hank(a)max.ibm.net.il X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Pro Version 2.2 (32) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 19:21:13 +0200 To: <local-ir(a)ripe.net> From: Hank Nussbacher <hank(a)ibm.net.il> Subject: Ripe change to whois I may have missed it, but a serious *bad* change has occured to the whois interface. Previously, if I did a check on abcdef.co.il and abcdef did not exist, whois would return an error message. Now, whois returns the domain and role records for the next upper level domain - i.e. co.il or .il. Other examples: zzzz.ac.uk, zzzz.ac.at. How did I find out about this? I received 3 phone calls already in the past 24 hours from users in Israel stating that I personally am registered as owner of hundreds of domains. They state that being on the board of the ISOC-IL which oversees the registration, I have violated the rules (limit of 10 domains per person - other countries have similar restrictions). I have tried explaining to them that I am not the owner of these domains. If it was 1 user, I would assume they didn't read the entry correctly. But the fact that 3 totally different people have called me to ask whether I would sell certain domain names to them, I can only conclude that the RIPE change is not that successful. People have been used to getting an error message from RIPE, similar to the "No match" one gets from Internic. When they now get a valid response, they don't bother to check that the response is not for the domain they requested. There is no error message or error code. This needs to be rectified (and changes discussed in the future - ignore if it has been mentioned). - -Hank Nussbacher ISOC-IL board member ------- End of Forwarded Message

3 3

Re: Ripe change to whois
by Hank Nussbacher 30 Nov '98

30 Nov '98

At 02:17 PM 11/30/98 +0100, Joao Luis Silva Damas wrote: I admit that I have not taken part in the DB WG, since I trust the work done there, and all changes that have been done over the past years have been fine and in their place. This change too, from a technical aspect - is good. I would not have spotted the "human engineering" aspects either even if I was on the list and contributing. Sometimes, one can admit their mistakes and say we need to reevaluate the results. I have received another 3 calls today (we only register 500 domains per month on average in .il) from users wanting to buy .il domains from me. No one else is seeing this problem??? -Hank >Dear Hank, > >May be (or may be not) the "human engineering aspects" were discussed enough >but, please, >if things like this affect your work so much, get into the db-wg mailing list >and give your input. > >The TLD wg was also involved in this and they were actually very much looking >forward to have this mechanism in place. > >If you still feel that "This needs to be rectified" you can discuss this with >the community, although it would have been better to discuss all this when the >design was proposed instead of going around the loop again (which, of course, >we'll do if users want to). > >I'll wait and listen. > >Regards, >Joao > > Hank Nussbacher <hank(a)ibm.net.il> writes: > * At 01:01 PM 11/30/98 +0100, Joao Luis Silva Damas wrote: > * > * Yes, that may be all correct - from a techno standpoint. What I am > * stressing is the human engineering aspect. Up till now, thousands of hits > * are sent to the whois.ripe.net every month to determine whether a domain > * exists or not. Users have been doing this for years. Suddenly, the output > * is different and they do not realize it. I highly doubt that the human > * engineering aspect was discussed or analyzed to any extent in the DB WG. -H > * ank > * > >

1 0

Performance of auto-dbm, Thu, 27 Nov 1998
by RIPE Database Administration 26 Nov '98

26 Nov '98

Dear Colleagues, We had some performance problems this morning and we had to temporarily stop updates in order to restore performance to its usual level. Updates were restarted as soon as we had finished working on this problem and the queue of updates was quickly processed. We appreciate your patience and we assure you that your updates were not lost. During this time, they were stored; there is no need to send them again. If you have any questions, please contact <ripe-dbm(a)ripe.net>. Regards, A. M. R. Magee _______________________ RIPE NCC Database Group

1 0

Re: New RIPE database software release
by RIPE Database Administration 26 Nov '98

26 Nov '98

Hi, Basil V. Dolmatov, "Basil V. Dolmatov" <dol(a)east.ru> writes: [..... part of original message deleted .....] * * Request for person creation not answered for at least two hours... * [..... remainder of original message deleted .....] We are having some problems this morning and are working hard to fix them. We appreciate your patience and we shall keep you informed. If you have anymore questions, please contact <ripe-dbm(a)ripe.net>. Regards, A. M. R. Magee _______________________ RIPE NCC Database Group

1 0