Network Working Group
Request for Comments: 1400

S. Williamson
Network Solutions, Inc.
March 1993

Transition and Modernization

of the Internet Registration Service

Status of this Memo

This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does not specify an Internet standard. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Discussion

As a result of the NREN NIS award by National Science Foundation, non-DDN registration services will soon be transferred from the DDN NIC to the new Internet Registration Service, which is a part of an entity referred to as the InterNIC. References in this document to the InterNIC apply to the Registration Services portion only.

Internet registration services are gradually transitioning to the InterNIC. We expect that the full transition will be accomplished by April 1, 1993. During this transitional period, EMail, Fax, and U.S. mail received at either site will be processed. DDN users will continue to receive full registration support from the DDN NIC, and the transition should be transparent to them. DDN users should continue to send registration requests to [email protected] (IP, .mil domain, inaddr for 26.x.x.x) or [email protected] (user registrations or TAC card requests) using the DISA approved registration forms.

From now through March 31, 1993, non-DDN Internet registration requests will be handled as follows:

The current DDN NIC registration templates may be filled out and submitted to either [email protected] or [email protected] through March 31. The new InterNIC templates will be accepted effective April 1, 1993, but not until that time.

     Telephone support: 1-800-365-DNIC or
     
                        1-703-802-4535 (Washington DC metro area)

Mail questions and registration templates to:

Government Systems Inc.
Attn: Network Information Center
14200 Park Meadow Dr.
Suite 200
Chantilly, VA 2200

Effective April 1, 1993, non-DDN Internet requests will be handled as described below.

New registration requests should be sent to [email protected] using the new template. Old templates sent to [email protected] will be returned with the parsing error messages and the new form attached. Old templates mailed to [email protected] will be accepted through June 30, 1993.

After that date, templates in the old format will be returned to the sender with the new template attached.

     Telephone support: 1-800-444-4345 or 619-455-4600
                        1-703-742-4777 (Registration service only)
                                       (Washington DC metro area)

Mail questions and registration templates to:

Network Solutions, Inc.
Attn: InterNIC Registration Service
505 Huntmar Park Drive
Herndon, VA 22070

In an effort to keep those who are likely to submit a high volume of registration requests informed during the transition period, information regarding Internet registration issues will be distributed via the mail list [email protected]. Send subscription requests to:

[email protected].

Information on the location of the new autoreg templates and how to retrieve them will be sent to those who have subscribed to this list. Comments are solicited. The new registration templates have been modified to facilitate automatic processing and to remove all DDN- specific references.

WHOIS services will be available at both the DDN NIC and InterNIC sites:

     whois.nic.ddn.mil (192.112.36.5)
     whois.internic.net (198.41.0.5)

Effective April 1, 1993, only DDN information will be available from whois.nic.ddn.mil. The WHOIS service available from whois.internic.net will contain all information on IP addresses, domains, and ASNs. The WHOIS service available from the whois.internic.net will contain individual user records only for those who serve as a Point of Contact for an active node. Those who are interested in establishing a whois service for information on individual users (e.g., for Internet hosts or campus networks) are encouraged to participate in one of the many distributed WHOIS-like information projects.

Root zone files will be available at both sites through March 31, 1993. After that time, the root zone file will be available only from ftp.rs.internic.net.

After the transition, the host.txt file will be available only from nic.ddn.mil and hosts.txt will include ONLY MILNET HOSTS. On April 1, 1993, a new root DNS server will be placed in service. It will be available at ns.internic.net ( 198.41.0.4 ).

The T1 service currently available to the DDN NIC will be disconnected by June 1, 1993. This will leave only 56K access to the DDN NIC site. Excessive traffic to this site after that date will cause congestion. Therefore, it is important that all Internet registration data be directed to the new InterNIC site. The InterNIC registration services facility will be connected to SuraNET via T1 around March 10, 1993.

Automated Internet registration services will be available from the InterNIC registration service host. This new automated system will allow more accurate and timely processing of registration requests. The basic functions/features of the new automated registration process (autoreg) are outlined below:

Requestor sends a completed new template to [email protected].

The mailserver/parser on the InterNIC registration host parses the template and makes a quick check of all verifiable information (such as Domain name conflicts). The server then sends an E-mail verification or rejection with error message back to the requestor.

After receiving the verification form for review, the requestor should ensure that the information was interpreted correctly by the parser. If the information is correct, the requestor returns the verify form to [email protected]. If the information is not correct, the requestor should make the necessary corrections before returning the form. If a rejection was received the requesstor must make the necessary adjustments and resend the registration request to [email protected] for processing.

On receipt of a corrected verification form from the original requestor, the data will be rechecked and a new verification form will be sent. Once a good verification has been received by Registration Services, the request will be released for final processing by the InterNIC registration staff.

NOTE: If the requestor does not return the verification form to the InterNIC within seven days after it is mailed, the original registration request will expire, and it must be resubmitted.

Information on the status of all registration requests will be available to users via two methods. The first method employs the "finger" utility. The finger utility is executed specifying the "trouble ticket" (tt) number returned with the registration request verification/ confirmation message.

   Example:     finger [email protected]

Users will also be able to obtain status information by connecting to rs.internic.net via telnet and executing the "status <ticket number>" command. Status information will appear as follows.

   [BEGIN SCRIPT]__________________________________________________________
   
   > finger [email protected]
   [rs.internic.net]
   Retrieving information on Ticket 930303.1034.   Please wait...
   
   Ticket Number: 930303.1034           Ticket Status:   pending
   Ticket Type: reg/domain              Ticket Source:   email
   Ticket Scope:                        Site/Line:
   
   Ticket Owner: autoreg                Problem Fixer:  duanes
   
   Ticket Opened: 03/03/93  14:47

Problem Description:

                    register internic.net

Problem Solution:

For more information, please contact the InterNIC Registration Center at [email protected] or (703) 742-4777. Thanks!

   [END SCRIPT]____________________________________________________________
   
   Other services will also be available via telnet to rs.internic.net.
   The interface is similar to the telnet service currently offered by
   the DDN-NIC. However, the commands used on the InterNIC system are
   slightly different. The services that will be available via telnet
   are:  WHOIS, Gopher, wais, finger, and status.

Below is a short scripted session on the new InterNIC Registration host.

   [BEGIN SCRIPT]__________________________________________________________
   
   % telnet rs.internic.net
   Trying 198.41.0.5 ...
   Connected to rs.internic.net.
   Escape character is '^]'.

SunOS UNIX (rs) (ttyp4)

   ************************************************************************
   * -- InterNIC Network Registration Center  --
   *
   * For gopher, type:                  GOPHER <return>
   * For wais, type:                    WAIS <return>
   * For the *original* whois type:     WHOIS <return>
   * For the X.500 whois DUA, type:     X500WHOIS <return>
   *
   * For user assistance call (800) 444-4345 or (703) 742-4777
   * Please report system problems to [email protected]
   ************************************************************************
   
   Cmdinter Ver 1.3 Wed Mar 10 11:23:05 1993 EST
   InterNIC > ?
   Command, one of the following
    DATE          FINGER        HELP          KERMIT        LOGIN
    LOGOUT        STATUS        WHOIS         GOPHER        WAIS
    X500WHOIS
   InterNIC > date
   Wed Mar 10 11:23:09 EST 1993

InterNIC > whois
Connecting to the rs Database . . . . . .
Connected to the rs Database
InterNIC WHOIS Version: 1.0 Wed, 10 Mar 93 11:23:19

   Whois: !internic-dom
   Network Solutions, Inc. (INTERNIC-DOM)
      505 Huntmar Park Drive
      Herndon, VA 22070
   
      Domain Name: INTERNIC.NET
   
      Administrative Contact:
         Zalubski, John  (JZ7)  [email protected]
         (703) 802-8462
      Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
         Kosters, Mark A.  (MAK21)  [email protected]
         (703) 802-8484

Record last updated on 10-Feb-93.

Domain servers in listed order:

      REG.INTERNIC.NET             192.153.247.80
      NOC.CERF.NET                 192.153.156.22

Whois: quit
InterNIC > quit

Wed Mar 10 11:24:54 1993 EST
Connection closed by foreign host.
%

   [END SCRIPT]____________________________________________________________

Summary of InterNIC registration services information:

rs.internic.net 198.41.0.5

ns.internic.net 198.41.0.4

General telephone support: 1-800-444-4365

Registration support: 703-742-4777

Mail address:
Network Solutions Inc.
ATTN: InterNIC Registration Services
505 Huntmar Park Dr.
Herndon, VA 22070

[email protected] Registration information mail list

[email protected]

[email protected]               Registration questions and Manual
                                       registration
[email protected]                  Automatic registration mailbox

finger [email protected] To check status of registration

request

Security Considerations

Security issues are not discussed in this memo.

Author's Address

Scott Williamson
Network Solutions, Inc.
505 Huntmar Park Drive
Herndon, VA 22070

   Phone: (703) 742-4820
   EMail: [email protected]