[db-wg] re: Proposal for returning IRT objects

[Apologies for duplicate mails]

Dear Colleagues,

The RIPE NCC has re-implemented the way IRT objects are returned in RIPE
Database query results. The proposal can be found at:
http://www.ripe.net/ripe/maillists/archives/db-wg/2006/msg00087.html

The first stage of this implementation as described in the proposal is
now complete. The main objectives were to:
- Increase the availability of the IRT information to users
- Promote the use of the IRT object
- Make it easier for third party tool writers to find the correct contacts

New Behaviour
------------------------
The behaviour of the "-c" flag and the "-rc" flag is as follows:

A standard query for address space including the "-c" query flag returns
the queried INETNUM and related objects. This also includes an IRT
object referenced by the queried INETNUM object or the closest, less
specific INETNUM object, if one exists. It will also still include any
ROUTE objects.

By using the "-rc" flags, the related personal objects are filtered out.
The IRT object will still be returned together with any ROUTE objects.

An additional consequence of this change is the way the "-b" flag works.
The "-b" flag will always return the primary key of any address space
object queried. It also returns the "abuse-mailbox:" attributes from the
address space object and any related IRT objects.

The RIPE Database Query webpage has also been updated:
http://www.ripe.net/fcgi-bin/whois

For all address space queries made via this webpage, the "-c" flag will
be added, making it the default. This only occurs if no other address
space query flags (lLmMxbc) are present.

A link has also been added to enable users to switch between the test
and production databases. This makes it easier to query the RIPE Test
Database.

Regards
Denis Walker
Software Engineering Department
RIPE NCC