whois-server crash

Hi
I'm currently trying to debug our whoisserver (version 3.3.0) running as a
near real-time mirror running on a RedHat (2.6.9-42.0.3.EL).
First - I did not setup the server myself so history is pretty short...

Problem: The server starts, runs for a while sucking up all CPU and dies.
The wrapper keeps restarting the server as long as $CRASHES -le 10 and
then it shuts down.
I been looking into the logs and I think there might be a problem with
updating the database.

When the server starts it complains about to undefined conf. variables :

[cut..cut]
070103 14:02:07 whois-server started
070103 14:02:07 /usr/local/whoisserver/bin/whois-server -p
/usr/local/whoisserver/bin/whois_rip.pid -c
/usr/local/whoisserver/conf/rip.config.sample
Configuration [/usr/local/whoisserver/conf/rip.config.sample]:
Warning: undefined configuration variable: SAWFILE
Warning: undefined configuration variable: UPDSOURCE
Error: Incomplete configuration file.  Was this intended ???

2 configuration variables undefined.

Mandatory variable(s) undefined

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<     >>>>>>>>>>>

Continuing .....

Warning: undefined configuration variable: SAWFILE
Warning: undefined configuration variable: UPDSOURCE
Error: Incomplete configuration file.  Was this intended ???

2 configuration variables undefined.
[cut..cut]

These variables seems to be missing (or commented out (UPDSOURCE)) in the
rip.config.sample that is used as config file. I wonder if that causes
problems ?

It then checks the DB and reports OK, and then it goes into a NTRM mode
and dies when trying to update:

[cut..cut]
Check the DB
Checking the Database [RIPE]...[OK]
  STATUS: The Database is clean
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Source [RIPE] Mode NRTM
[/usr/local/whoisserver/log/ripupd/ripupdlog_RIPE]
Mode of operation:
* dummy not allowed
* NRTM
* running as a server
* NHR is maintained
died: +781 modules/ud/ud_core.c
070103 14:05:48  whoisd crashed &
restarted\n/usr/local/whoisserver/bin/whois-server -c
/usr/local/whoisserver/conf/rip.config.sample.q\n
070103 14:05:49 /usr/local/whoisserver/bin/whois-server -p
/usr/local/whoisserver/bin/whois_rip.pid -c
/usr/local/whoisserver/conf/rip.config.sample.q
[cut..cut]

Looking in log/ripupd/<logfile> the crash triggers a severe warning :
20070103 14:05:47 whois_rip-13755/2914581424 UD-S-SEVERE query not defined
for this type of attribute[74]\x0A

So in modules/ud/ud_core.c [line 780] (attribute_type) is "x0A" when it
crashes - but I get a little lost from here.

It leaves me with a few questions:
0) "Mandatory variables" sounds mandatory to me - but it does not seem (in
the first place) to cause the server to crash, but just warns.
1) Any good ideas for debugging further ?
2) Is there a good howto somewhere with a better description of the config
values found in rip.config* and sources.config.sample*. I'm a little
curious about SAW values etc...

Best regards,
Peter