non-netsol registrars with non-web interface

bscott at ntisys.com bscott at ntisys.com
Fri Nov 1 23:11:04 EST 2002


On Fri, 1 Nov 2002, at 3:42pm, gnhlug at sophic.org wrote:
>> modifying my previous question: anyone know of registrars that
>> do things according to handles rather than spelt-out names?
> 
> I'm pretty sure (but not certain) that those handles are NIC-specific. I
> think they might even be called NIC handles.

  They are, and they are.  Or were.  The old NIC handles were just a unique
key associated with records in a database.  For example, if you were the
Tech Contact for 50 domains, you would just associate all those domains with
your handle.  If you changed, e.g., your phone number, you would just Modify
your Contact Record.  Likewise, nameservers were given Host Records.

  When the old Internetwork Information Center was dissolved and replaced
with the current system of registrars, Network Solutions kept the
infrastructure they previously operated for InterNIC as their own private
system.  People who stayed with NetSol saw little change.

   New registrars, however, had to develop their own systems from scratch.  
Some copied NetSol closely, others did not.  For example, I have a couple of
domains parked with DomainMonger (because they were cheap at the time).  
Their system (at the time) used the domain name as the account username.  I
registered three domains, so I had to create three accounts, entering the
same identification information for each one.  If I change my address, I
will need to update each account individually.  Needless to say, this does
not scale.  (I think they've gotten better since then, but I don't know for
sure.)

  Today, NetSol is keeping the old NIC handles in their WHOIS database for
now, but they are dumping the old email-based interface for a web-based
interface, and authentication is done with account numbers and passwords,
rather than handles and PGP keys.  The transition to the new system has made
a mess of things for some people (no surprise there).

> For example, with Domain Discover, you have an account.  You can register
> multiple domains under that account, and IIRC when you update contact
> information, you can update it for all of your domains simultaneously at
> the click of a button.

  What about nameservers?  That is, if you change the IP address or domain
name of a nameserver, can you just update the host record for that one
nameserver?  That would be my big concern.

-- 
Ben Scott <bscott at ntisys.com>
| The opinions expressed in this message are those of the author and do not |
| necessarily represent the views or policy of any other person, entity or  |
| organization.  All information is provided without warranty of any kind.  |




More information about the gnhlug-discuss mailing list