Announcement: RIPE Whois Database version 3.0 beta is out

hello,

the output of

   fwhois 212.31.64.0 at rpsl.ripe.net

is exactely the same as of

   fwhois 212.31.64.0 at whois.ripe.net

where's the difference? i thought the data-format
has changed. or am i missing something?


please advise
thanks
w.grundner

_____________________________________________________________________
Wilhelm Grundner                     Email: wilhelm.grundner at debis.at
debis Systemhaus Oesterreich GmbH    Web:   http://www.debis.at
Hofmuehlgasse 3-5                    Phone: 0043 1 59903 4390
A-1060 Vienna, Austria               Fax:   0043 1 59903 4399
_____________________________________________________________________

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On Fri, 8 Dec 2000, RIPE Database Administration wrote:

> 
> Dear All,
> 
> [ Apologies for duplicate messages ]
> 
> This mail is to inform you that version 3.0 beta of the RIPE Whois
> Database is out. Read on! You will be affected too.
> 
> The RIPE Database is about to change its data format, from RIPE181 to
> RPSL (the Routing Policy Specification Language, see RFC2622). This will
> affect all object types, including "person", "domain" and "inetnum".
> 
> The version 2 of the RIPE Database, the one currently in production on
> whois.ripe.net, will in the next months be replaced by version 3. All the
> entries in the RIPE Database will be translated into RPSL format, and
> that is the format you will get when you will be querying the Database.
> 
> Don't be mistaken: for the moment, whois.ripe.net continues running with
> version 2 and answering to your queries in the old-fashioned way. But
> this will not last forever; in a few months, all will become RPSL. So if
> you use the Whois database, we encourage all of you to prepare for this
> change as soon as possible.
> 
> We strongly suggest you to start to get used to RPSL and version 3.0 . 
> In this aim, you can do the following:
> 
>         - Query rpsl.ripe.net at port 43. You will find there
>           exactly the same objects that are in whois.ripe.net,
>           mirrored live and in RPSL format. 
> 
>         - If you have any script that runs by querying whois.ripe.net, 
>           test it by pointing it to rpsl.ripe.net and make it
>           v3.0-compliant.
> 
>         - Try our CGI interface to the RPSL server: you can find it at
>           http://www.ripe.net/ripencc/pub-services/db/reimp/. 
> 
>         - Get to know the new update path: use our "sandbox" database for
>           RPSL updates. Send your updates to <auto-rip at ripe.net> and
>           query the corresponding database at rpsl.ripe.net, port 4343 .
> 
> Remember that in a few months, that's the way the RIPE Database will be
> running; so the earlier you start working with it, the less likely you
> are to be unpleasantly surprised later.
> 
> We are currently preparing additional resources to help ease the
> transition; we will announce them as soon as they are available, which
> will happen later this month.
> 
> Please note that the software is still in a "beta" phase. So we need your
> feedback! If you happen to find something that looks like a bug when you
> are testing the RPSL database, don't hesitate... 
> Send us a bug report at <dbrip at ripe.net> !
> 
> If you want to actively participate to the migration effort, you could   
> join the "RIP migration Task force" and let yourself be heard. Just write
> to <ripe-dbm at ripe.net> and ask to join the Task Force.
> 
> For the ones interested in viewing or trying the code, you can download
> it at:
> 
>         ftp://ftp.ripe.net/ripe/dbase/reimp/whois-rip-3.0beta1.tar.gz
> 
> You can also join a discussion list related to version 3.0 beta of the
> RIPE Database Software. To subscribe to this list, send a message to
> <majordomo at ripe.net> with the line:
> 
> subscribe db-beta
> 
> in the body of your letter. It is a moderated mailing list so some delays
> in subscription are possible.
> 
> 
> Regards,
> 
> The RIPE Database Group.
>