[db-wg] New database Features

Dear Colleagues,

[Apologies for duplicate mails]

We have recently installed an updated version of the Whois software and 
Database update software. As well as some bug fixes there are three new 
features in the Database software.

X.509
-----

This is now fully implemented. You are able to create the new X.509 KEY-CERT 
objects and reference these in the "auth:" lines of a maintainer. You can now 
use X.509 authentication with all our update methods: mail, syncupdates and 
webupdates.

There is a link to the X.509 enabled webupdates script from the RIPE Whois 
Database page of the RIPE NCC web site:

http://www.ripe.net/db/index.html

The direct link is:

https://www.ripe.net/perl/webupdates-x509.pl

For documentation please refer to:

http://www.ripe.net/db/x509.html

You may also wish to check some other updated documents on security of objects:

http://www.ripe.net/db/security.html

http://www.ripe.net/db/Maintainer_Creation_Procedure.html

http://www.ripe.net/db/pgp.html


CIDR notation for inetnum creation.
----------------------------------

We now allow the use of CIDR notation when creating INETNUM objects. The CIDR 
string is replaced by the expanded range notation before the object is 
processed. This feature is ONLY permitted when creating an object.

For example if the following object is submitted to the RIPE Database:

inetnum: 1.2.0.0/16

before any further processing is done it will be converted to:

inetnum: 1.2.0.0 - 1.2.255.255

A warning message will be added to the acknowledgement reply. It is now 
standard policy to add a warning if any changes are made to the submitted data.


Prefix range lists for "mnt-routes:"
----------------------------------

The "mnt-routes:" attribute's syntax has been extended to allow prefix range 
lists. This will enable people to specify which maintainer has to authorise the 
creation of the specific routes.

As an example:

     mnt-routes: MY-MNT { 20.34.0.0/1617-18, 20.34.0.0/16^- }
     mnt-routes: NOT-MY-MNT { ANY }

Support for the previous syntax is unchanged.
The extended syntax complies with RFC2725 which can be found at:
  ftp://ftp.ripe.net/rfc/rfc2725.txt



For questions and comments please contact <ripe-dbm at ripe.net>.

Best regards,
--
Denis Walker
RIPE NCC Software Engineering Department