I understand there is some confusion about the actions required from users of the database for this.

We documented the impact on users of the database for each phase of the project here:

But let me summarise.

Phase 1: Introduce the new attributes “created:” and “last-modified:”

(currently deployed to the Release Candidate environment)

= w.r.t. updates / existing objects

No action required, these attributes are added automatically by the database.

= w.r.t. parsing objects

If your scripts are RFC compliant they should ignore unknown attributes.

But it's a good idea to make sure - using the release candidate environment.

If you were relying on "changed:" you should start using "last-modified:" instead now.

Phase 2: Make the "changed:" attribute optional

You are strongly encouraged to stop including "changed:" in your updates.

You can still include "changed:" in your updates, but you will receive warnings.

= w.r.t. parsing objects

Objects will start to appear that do not have "changed:" lines.

If you were relying on "changed:" and did not update your scripts in phase 1,

you should do so now.

Phase 3: Deprecate the "changed:" attribute

= w.r.t. updates / existing objects

"changed:" is removed from existing objects in bulk - this will be visible in history, but will not affect "last-modified:"

Updates may no longer include "changed:". Doing so will result in errors.

= w.r.t. parsing objects

"changed:" will be removed from all objects

If you were relying on "changed:" and did not update your script in phase 1 or 2,

you should really do so now

I hope this helps. Please let us know if you have any questions or comments.

Assistant Manager Software Engineering

On 10 Apr 2015, at 13:43, * IP - Detal <IP@orange.com> wrote:

Dear Colleagues from RIPE NCC,

Thank you for information.
In relation to the following e-mail we have a question. We are one of the largest ISP in Poland (we have a huge number of object registered in ripe database). We do not understand how we would add so many attributes "last-modified:" and "created:" to tens of thousands our records registered in ripe database? It takes a long time and we are obliged to modify it to the end of July 2015.

The “created” and “last-modified” fields can be automatically generated to new records, but how to updated the already registered objects without manual input ?

We are waiting to your reply.

Kind regards,

Ewa Hilmantel - Debska
pl.tpsa

From: ncc-announce [mailto:ncc-announce-bounces@ripe.net] On Behalf Of Tim Bruijnzeels
Sent: Thursday, April 02, 2015 5:15 PM
To: ncc-announce@ripe.net
Subject: [ncc-announce] [news] Phase 1 of Deprecation of "changed:" Attribute Deployed to RIPE Database Release Candidate Environment

Dear colleagues,

The RIPE Database Working Group has asked the RIPE NCC to replace the “changed:” attribute in the RIPE Database with “created:” and “last-modified:”. We want to inform the wider community, in case you have any feedback you would like to share with the Database WG.

Following discussions at RIPE 69, we met with the WG chairs and finalised an implementation plan consisting of three phases:

1) Introduce the new attributes “created:” and “last-modified:”
2) Make the "changed:" attribute optional
3) Deprecate the "changed:" attribute

Details of this implementation plan can be found here:
https://labs.ripe.net/Members/tim/deprecating-the-changed-attribute-in-the-ripe-database

We recently informed the Database WG that Phase 1 of this implementation had been deployed to the Release Candidate environment. We are planning to deploy this to the production environment on 28 April:
https://www.ripe.net/ripe/mail/archives/db-wg/2015-March/004504.html

If you have any questions or comments, please raise them on the RIPE Database WG mailing list at <db-wg@ripe.net>.

Kind regards,

Tim Bruijnzeels
Assistant Manager Software Engineering
RIPE NCC