RPSLng in the RIPE Whois Database

Dear Colleagues,

Beginning Wednesday 29 December 2004, the RIPE Database will support
RPSLng.

RPSLng extends the Routing Policy Specification Language (RPSL)
allowing description of IPv6 and multicast routing policies. It
includes a new object type, ROUTE6, and new attributes, such as
"mp-import:" and "mp-export:".

RPSLng was submitted to the IETF to become an RFC. You can read the
most recent draft at:

   http://www.radb.net/rpslng-08.html

This change will not affect the current contents of the database. It
is optional for any objects you maintain.

The main differences for query users are as follows:

- Currently a query for an IPv4 address or network may return INETNUM,
   ROUTE, and INET-RTR objects. A query for an IPv6 address or network
   can only return an INET6NUM object. After we put RPSLng into
   production, IPv6 queries will start to also return ROUTE6 and
   INET-RTR objects, if they are in the database.

- Currently an inverse query (using the "-i" flag) for AUT-NUM objects
   may return ROUTE objects. After we put RPSLng into production, a
   query will return both ROUTE and ROUTE6 objects.

If you want to limit your query, you can use the "-T" flag. For
example, if you only want ROUTE objects returned to an inverse query,
you can type:

   whois -h whois.ripe.net -T route -i origin AS3333

Please change your scripts if necessary.

We will not move the contents of the RPSLng prototype Whois server to
the RIPE Whois Database. You will have to create any objects that
define your routing policy in the production RIPE Whois Database. You
can update the RPSLng prototype Whois server until the start of
January 2005. The query interface will be available until the end of
January 2005.

--
Shane Kerr
Software Manager
RIPE NCC