Network Working Group                                     S. Williamson
Request for Comments: 1400                      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 hostmast@nic.ddn.mil (IP,
   .mil domain, inaddr for 26.x.x.x) or registrar@nic.ddn.mil (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 hostmaster@internic.net or
      hostmaster@nic.ddn.mil 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 autoreg@internic.net
      using the new template.  Old templates sent to
      autoreg@internic.net will be returned with the parsing error
      messages and the new form attached. Old templates mailed to
      hostmaster@interic.net 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 rs-info@internic.net.  Send
   subscription requests to:

                     rs-info-request@internic.net.

   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
     autoreg@internic.net.

   * 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 verify@internic.net.  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 autoreg@internic.net 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 tt-930303.1034@rs.internic.net

   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 tt-930303.1034@rs.internic.net
   [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 hostmaster@internic.net 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 ACTION@rs.internic.net
   ************************************************************************

   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)  zalubskj@INTERNIC.NET
         (703) 802-8462
      Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
         Kosters, Mark A.  (MAK21)  markk@INTERNIC.NET
         (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

rs-info@internic.net                  Registration information mail list
rs-info-request@internic.net

hostmaster@internic.net               Registration questions and Manual
                                       registration
autoreg@internic.net                  Automatic registration mailbox


finger tt-XXXXXX.XXXX@rs.internic.net 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: scottw@internic.net