Re: High volume WHOIS queries

[joe mcguckin <joe () via net>]

How about caching the data from previous ARIN whois lookups?

I do agree that the bulk data and high volume limitations on whois servers
are silly...

-joe


On 2/28/05 1:30 PM, "Dan Lockwood" <dlockwood () shastacoe org> wrote:

> I'm in a disagreement with ARIN about my application for bulk whois
> data.  I've got a software program that needs resolve AS numbers to the
> Company Name of the owner.  The software app has need to do this on a
> very high volume.  E.g.  I run a report that returns the top 100 AS
> destinations for my network and I want to resolve the numbers to the
> names as part of the report generation.  Since ARIN throttles the number
> of queries that you can execute against their servers I seems to "just
> make sense" that you would do the processing using local data.
>
> That is all fine and good, but the problem comes when I distribute the
> software to users.  ARIN's AUP for bulk whois states:
>
> "Redistributing bulk ARIN WHOIS data is explicitly forbidden. It is
> permissible to publish the data on an individual query or
> small number of queries at a time basis, as long as reasonable
> precautions are taken to prevent automated querying by
> database harvesters."
>
> My original AUP application stated that I would transfer the data to the
> users using an XML file on a regular basis.  Clearly in violation of the
> first point.  Fine.  But now after a phone conversation they are telling
> me that I can not operate a server to distribute the data on a "per
> query" basis too.  Providing a server that answers whois queries just
> like ARIN seems to be clearly permissible based on the remaining AUP
> verbage.  At this point the only thing I can get out of the guy/gal on
> the phone is "NO!".
>
> Does anyone have any experience doing something like this?  How about a
> sanity check?  Am I completely wrong in how I'm interpreting the AUP?
>
> Thanks,
> Dan

-- 

Joe McGuckin

ViaNet Communications
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Palo Alto, CA  94303

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