Network Working Group                               K. Harrenstien (SRI)
Request for Comments: 954                                 M. Stahl (SRI)
Obsoletes:  RFC 812                                     E. Feinler (SRI)
                                                            October 1985

                             NICNAME/WHOIS


STATUS OF THIS MEMO

   This RFC is the official specification of the NICNAME/WHOIS protocol.
   This memo describes the protocol and the service.  This is an update
   of RFC 812.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

INTRODUCTION

   The NICNAME/WHOIS Server is a TCP transaction based query/response
   server, running on the SRI-NIC machine (26.0.0.73 or 10.0.0.51), that
   provides netwide directory service to internet users.  It is one of a
   series of internet name services maintained by the DDN Network
   Information Center (NIC) at SRI International on behalf of the
   Defense Communications Agency (DCA).  The server is accessible across
   the Internet from user programs running on local hosts, and it
   delivers the full name, U.S. mailing address, telephone number, and
   network mailbox for DDN users who are registered in the NIC database.

   This server, together with the corresponding WHOIS Database can also
   deliver online look-up of individuals or their online mailboxes,
   network organizations, DDN nodes and associated hosts, and TAC
   telephone numbers.  The service is designed to be user-friendly and
   the information is delivered in human-readable format.  DCA strongly
   encourages network hosts to provide their users with access to this
   network service.

WHO SHOULD BE IN THE DATABASE

   DCA requests that each individual with a directory on an ARPANET or
   MILNET host, who is capable of passing traffic across the DoD
   Internet, be registered in the NIC WHOIS Database.  MILNET TAC users
   must be registered in the database.  To register, send via electronic
   mail to REGISTRAR@SRI-NIC.ARPA your full name, middle initial, U.S.
   mailing address (including mail stop and full explanation of
   abbreviations and acronyms), ZIP code, telephone (including Autovon
   and FTS, if available), and one network mailbox.  Contact the DDN
   Network Information Center, REGISTRAR@SRI-NIC.ARPA or (800) 235-3155,
   for assistance with registration.

PROTOCOL

   To access the NICNAME/WHOIS server:

      Connect to the SRI-NIC service host at TCP service port 43
      (decimal).

      Send a single "command line", ending with <CRLF> (ASCII CR and
      LF).

      Receive information in response to the command line.  The server
      closes its connection as soon as the output is finished.

EXISTING USER PROGRAMS

   NICNAME is the global name for the user program, although many sites
   have chosen to use the more familiar name of "WHOIS".  There are
   versions of the NICNAME user program for TENEX, TOPS-20, and UNIX.
   The TENEX and TOPS-20 programs are written in assembly language
   (FAIL/MACRO), and the UNIX version is written in C. They are easy to
   invoke, taking one argument which is passed directly to the NICNAME
   server at SRI-NIC.  Contact NIC@SRI-NIC.ARPA for copies of the
   program.

COMMAND LINES AND REPLIES

   A command line is normally a single name specification.  Note that
   the specification formats will evolve with time; the best way to
   obtain the most recent documentation on name specifications is to
   give the server a command line consisting of "?<CRLF>" (that is, a
   question-mark alone as the name specification).  The response from
   the NICNAME server will list all possible formats that can be used.
   The responses are not currently intended to be machine-readable; the
   information is meant to be passed back directly to a human user.  The
   following three examples illustrate the use of NICNAME as of October
   1985.

   ---------------------------------------------------------------------

      Command line: ?
      Response:

      Please enter a name or a NIC handle, such as "Smith" or "SRI-NIC".
      Starting with a period forces a name-only search; starting with
      exclamation point forces handle-only.  Examples:

         Smith     [looks for name or handle SMITH]
         !SRI-NIC  [looks for handle SRI-NIC only]
         .Smith, John
                   [looks for name JOHN SMITH only]

      Adding "..." to the argument will match anything from that point,
      e.g. "ZU..." will match ZUL, ZUM, etc.

      To search for mailboxes, use one of these forms:

         Smith@    [looks for mailboxes with username SMITH]
         @Host     [looks for mailboxes on HOST]
         Smith@Host
                   [Looks for mailboxes with username SMITH on HOST]

      To obtain the entire membership list of a group or organization,
      or a list of all authorized users of a host, precede the name of
      the host or organization by an asterisk, i.e. *SRI-NIC. [CAUTION:
      If there are a lot of members, this will take a long time!]  You
      may use exclamation point and asterisk, or a period and asterisk
      together.

   ---------------------------------------------------------------------

   Command line: fischer
   Response:

   Fischer, Charles (CF17)     fischer@UWISC        (608) 262-1204
   Fischer, Herman (HF)        HFischer@USC-ECLB    (818) 902-5139
   Fischer, Jeffery H. (JHF1)  FISCHER@LL-XN        (617) 863-5500
                                                    ext 4403 or 4689
   Fischer, Kenneth (KF8)      SAC.SIUBO@USC-ISIE   (402) 294-5161
                                                    (AV)  271-5161
   Fischer, Marty (MF28)       MFISCHER@DCA-EMS     (703) 437-2344
   Fischer, Michael J. (MJF)   FISCHER@YALE         (203) 436-0744
   Fischer, Nancy C. (NANCY)   FISCHER@SRI-NIC      (415) 859-2539
   Fischer, Richard A. (RAF4)  Fisher Richa@LLL-MFE (415) 422-5032

   To single out any individual entry, repeat the command using the
   argument "!HANDLE" instead of "NAME", where the handle is in
   parentheses following the name.

   ---------------------------------------------------------------------

      Command line: !nancy
      Response:

         Fischer, Nancy C. (NANCY)    FISCHER@SRI-NIC SRI International
         Telecommunication Sciences Center
         333 Ravenswood Avenue, EJ289
         Menlo Park, California 94025
         Phone: (415) 859-2539
         MILNET TAC user

   ---------------------------------------------------------------------

BIBLIOGRAPHY

   1. Harrenstien, K., and White, V., "NICNAME/WHOIS," RFC-812, Network
      Information Center, SRI International, March 1982.

   2. Harrenstien, K., "NAME/FINGER," RFC-742, Network Information
      Center, SRI International, December 1977.