As announced at the RIPE 27 database working group in Dublin we have a new format for the automatic replies to RIPE database udpates. The new format is more consise and clearly states in the body and the subject line of the reply whether the update was completely sucessful or whether part of it failed. The new code is running on the test database for you to try out. Please forward comments to ripe-dbm@ripe.net. Updates to the test database should be sent to <test-dbm@ripe.net>. You should use a source of 'TEST' rather than the usual 'RIPE'. eg person: Test Person address: TEST phone: +31 20 535 4444 fax-no: +31 20 535 4445 e-mail: bit-bucket@ripe.net nic-hdl: AUTO-1 changed: chris@ripe.net 970704 source: TEST To query the test database invoke whois with the -h argument ... % whois -h test-whois.ripe.net TP1-RIPE person: Test Person address: TEST phone: +31 20 535 4444 fax-no: +31 20 535 4445 e-mail: bit-bucket@ripe.net nic-hdl: TP1-RIPE changed: chris@ripe.net 970704 source: TEST We would like to put this software into service on the RIPE database in a week's time on Monday 14th July. If you have automatic scripts that parse the old format and you can't update them in time please let us know (ripe-dbm@ripe.net). Regards, Chris Fletcher RIPE NCC