Hi, Many of you have been using the whois clients that permit you to query information in the PRDB. Whereas we are still completing the testing for generating consistent configurations for AS 690 from the RADB, the RADB is populated with all the information that the PRDB knows. Therefore, by Monday, March 6, 1995, when you issue a whois query for a network or a contact, the information that you will receive will come from the RADB. The whois client will return the same information if you query prdb.merit.edu or whois.ra.net. Here are samples of the responses you will see: Sample 1 whois -h whois.ra.net MAINT-AS237 mntner: MAINT-AS237 descr: People authorized to make changes for AS237 admin-c: JMD24 tech-c: JMD24 upd-to: AS237@ra.net auth: MAIL-FROM har@merit.edu auth: MAIL-FROM har@merit.net auth: MAIL-FROM jrv@merit.edu auth: MAIL-FROM jrv@merit.net auth: MAIL-FROM jmd@merit.edu auth: MAIL-FROM jmd@merit.net auth: MAIL-FROM jaw@merit.edu auth: MAIL-FROM jaw@merit.net auth: CRYPT-PW tbYt8hHdWtMPU remarks: # note this is pre-approved for AS 3561 -- please update that entry too mnt-by: MAINT-AS237 changed: dsj@merit.edu 950214 source: RADB Sample 2 whois -h whois.ra.net 128.140 route: 128.140.0.0/16 descr: EMORY-INET origin: AS279 advisory: AS690 1:3561(218) 2:3561(11) 3:279 4:86 mnt-by: SURA changed: sherk@sura.net 941101 source: MCI route: 128.140.0.0/16 descr: Emory University descr: Atlanta descr: GA 30322, USA comm-list: COMM_NSFNET advisory: AS690 1:3561(218) 2:3561(11) 3:279 4:86 changed: nsfnet-admin@merit.edu 941114 source: PRDB Note that if you query whois.ra.net or information on a route, it will return all entries for that route and the source of the information. Possible sources are: ca*net, mci, prdb, radb and ripe. If you query prdb.merit.edu for network or contact information, you will receive information from the RADB with a message indicating that the PRDB is retiring. The standard queries to prdb.merit.edu, whois -h prdb.merit.edu 'contact <#>' and whois -h prdb.merit.edu <#> will continue to work for several more weeks. If you have any questions concerning this next step in the deployment of the RADB aand the retirement of the PRDB, please send email to merit-ie@merit.edu. Thanks. --Elise