Referral Whois Protocol (RWhois)
RFC 1714

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Network Working Group                                      S. Williamson
Request for Comments: 1714                                    M. Kosters
Category: Informational                           Network Solutions Inc.
                                                                InterNIC
                                                           November 1994

                    Referral Whois Protocol (RWhois)

Status of this Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  This memo
   does not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of
   this memo is unlimited.

Abstract

   This memo describes version 1.0 of the client/server interaction of
   RWhois.  RWhois provides a distributed system for the display of
   hierarchical information.  This system is hierarchical by design,
   allowing for the reduction of a query, and the referral of the user
   closer to the maintainer of the information.

Table of Contents

     1.   Introduction................................... 3
     2.   RWhois Client Model............................ 5
       2.1  Directives:  Client to Server Interaction ... 6
       2.2  Required Directives ......................... 6
          2.2.1 <query>.................................. 6
          2.2.2 RWhois................................... 7
       2.3  Optional Directives ......................... 7
          2.3.1 load..................................... 7
          2.3.2 limit.................................... 7
          2.3.3 schema................................... 8
          2.3.4 xfer..................................... 8
          2.3.5 quit..................................... 9
          2.3.6 status................................... 9
          2.3.7 cache.................................... 9
          2.3.8 holdconnect..............................10
          2.3.9 forward..................................10
          2.3.10 soa.....................................11
          2.3.11 notify..................................11
          2.3.12 register................................13
          2.3.13 object..................................14
          2.3.14 define..................................15
          2.3.15 private.................................15
          2.3.16 X-......................................16

Williamson & Kosters                                            [Page 1]
RFC 1714            Referral Whois Protocol (RWhois)       November 1994

          2.3.17 directive...............................17
          2.3.18 display.................................17
          2.3.19 language................................18
       2.4  RWhois Client Model .........................18
     3.   RWhois Server Model............................20
       3.1  Output Display and Restriction Keywords .....20
       3.2  Responses:  Server to Client Interaction ....21
       3.3  Required Responses ..........................22
          3.3.1 RWhois...................................22
          3.3.2 referral.................................22
          3.3.3 ok.......................................24
          3.3.4 error....................................24
       3.4  Optional Responses ..........................25
          3.4.1 see-also.................................25
          3.4.2 load.....................................26
          3.4.3 soa......................................26
          3.4.4 status...................................28
          3.4.5 xfer.....................................29
          3.4.6 schema...................................30
          3.4.7 define...................................32
          3.4.8 object...................................32
          3.4.9 directive................................33
          3.4.10 info....................................34
          3.4.11 display.................................34
          3.4.12 X-......................................35
          3.4.13 language................................35
       3.5  Query Reduction .............................36
       3.6  Determining Authority .......................36
       3.7  Secondary Server Interaction ................37
       3.8  Registration Process ........................38
       3.9  Out-of-Service ..............................38
     4.   Interaction:  Client Directives and Acceptable
          Server Responses...............................39
       4.1 General ......................................39
       4.2 On Connection ................................39
       4.3 <QUERY> ......................................39
       4.4 -RWhois ......................................40
       4.5 -load ........................................40
       4.6 -limit<SP>< value > ..........................40
       4.7 -schema<SP>[object] ..........................40
       4.8 -xfer<SP>[object] ............................40
       4.9 -quit ........................................40