RIPE Database: New format for reply messages

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 at ripe.net.

Updates to the test database should be sent to <test-dbm at 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 at ripe.net
  nic-hdl:     AUTO-1
  changed:     chris at 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 at ripe.net
  nic-hdl:     TP1-RIPE
  changed:     chris at 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 at ripe.net).

Regards,

Chris Fletcher
RIPE NCC