Improved Query Processing

24 Oct 2002 — ripe database, announcement

Whois query processing for the RIPE Database Server has been revised to be more consistent and helpful to users. If you have questions about these, please e-mail
<ripe-dbm _at_ ripe _dot_ net>.

New errors:

An input too long results in "ERROR:107" rather than silent truncation. This error can be produced in UNIX with the following command:

         $ whois `perl -e 'print "x" x 10000'`
            .
            .
            .
         %ERROR:107: input line too long
         %
         % Input exceeds the maximum line length.

A bogus character in the query results in "ERROR:108" rather than silently removing the bad character.

         $ whois ^
            .
            .
            .
         %ERROR:108: bad character in input
         %
         % An invalid character was passed in the query. Allowed
         % characters are letters, numbers, and these: -_:+=.,@/?'.

Multiple proxy query flags result in "ERROR:205" rather than silently using the last IP address.


         $ whois -Vone,1.0.0.1 -Vtwo,2.0.0.1
            .
            .
            .
         %ERROR:205: multiple addresses passed by proxy
         %
         % More than one -V flag passed the address of a client.
         % This is an error in the proxy server. Please contact
         % the administrator of the server and report this error.

Fixed behaviour:

Passing a key to a template query or meta-query is an error, e.g. "-t person shane kerr". This will return the allowed syntax.

New query:

There is a new meta-query, "-q types", to list classes.


         $ whois -Tasn AS123
            .
            .
            .
         %ERROR:103: unknown object type
         %
         % "asn" is not a known object type.
         % Use "-q types" to list known object types.

         $ whois -q types
            .
            .
            .
         as-block
         as-set
         aut-num
         domain
         inet-rtr
         inet6num
         inetnum
         key-cert
         limerick
         mntner
         person
         role
         route
         route-set
         filter-set
         peering-set
         rtr-set
         irt

Warnings:

Previously, a query would return any number of objects (0 or more), and possibly a single error. Now it is also possible to get any number of warnings (0 or more).
A query with multiple IP flags gives "WARNING:901" and reports which flag was used, rather than using an arbritrary flag.


         $ whois -r -M -x 10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255
            .
            .
            .
         %WARNING:901: duplicate IP flags passed
         %
         % More than one IP flag (-l, -L, -m, -M, -x, or -c) passed to the
         % server.
         % Only "-x" will be used for this query.

Non-IP query using an IP flag results in "WARNING:902".

         $ whois -r -M Shane kerr
            .
            .
            .
         %WARNING:902: useless IP flag passed
         %
         % An IP flag (-l, -L, -m, -M, -x, or -c) used without an IP key.

Non-domain query using "-R" flag results in "WARNING:904".

        $ whois -R 10.0.0.0
           .
           .
           .
        %WARNING:904: useless no-referral flag passed
        %
        % The -R flag used for a non-domain key.

Lookups where a key is fixed, e.g. 192.168.1.0/16, results in "WARNING:905" and reports what key is used, e.g. 192.168.0.0/16.


         $ whois 193.0.1.17/23
            .
            .
            .
         %WARNING:905: fixed lookup key
         %
         % The key "193.0.1.17/23" has been changed to "193.0.0.0/23" for
         % lookup.

Concurrency Limits:

Previously, there were no limits on the number of simultaneous connections that a user could make. With the new server, the following restrictions apply:

Users connecting more than 4 times simultaneously from a single IP address will receive "ERROR:208" and be disconnected:

         %ERROR:208: connection refused
         %
         % Sorry, your connection is refused.
         % Too many simultaneous connections from your host.

Users connecting more than 6 times simultaneously from a single IP address will be disconnected without any notice from the server.

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