Internet Info 1994 March/Internet Info CD-ROM (Walnut Creek) (March 1994).iso/inet/ietf/wnils/wnils-minutes-93mar.txt

Text File | 1993-04-30 | 8KB | 222 lines

CURRENT_MEETING_REPORT_


Reported by Joan Gargano/UCDavis

Minutes of the Whois and Network Information Lookup Service Working
Group (WNILS)

Joan Gargano reviewed the Agenda and the ways in which WNILS information
is available over the network.  Each author of the papers was asked to
provide a review of work completed to date.

Review of Whois++ Architecture - Peter Deutsch

Peter provided a brief overview of the Whois++ model and architecture
for new members of the Working Group.  He then discussed the following
extensions to the document which incorporated suggestions from the
November 1992 IETF meeting and other discussions.  The Working Group was
asked for consensus on the inclusion of these features into the
architecture.


  1. Options and Extensions
     To maintain the simplicity of the original model and provide the
     features that may be needed in the future.  A facility for options
     and extensions has been described and is recommended for inclusion
     in the architecture.

  2. Multilingual Support
     Multilingual support is very important to the European community
     and needs to be supported.  Whois++ should support the
     specification of multilingual queries and responses and the
     handling of multiple character sets.  This option will be included
     and should draw upon the MIME standard.

  3. Security and Authentication
     There is a need to restrict the output of information based upon
     the identity of the requester.  An option should be implemented
     which provides for authentication.

  4. Multiple Views
     The Group suggested this feature was already implemented in other
     query languages such as SQL and Z39.50.  It was recommended that
     this feature be discussed further.

  5. MIME Support
     The ability to support the delivery of non-ASCII text has been
     defined in the MIME standard.  It is recommended that Whois++
     incorporate the appropriate portion of the MIME standard to handle
     these documents.

  6. Error Message Specification

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     Error handling and error messages need to be defined.

  7. Extending Centroids
     This will be covered by Chris Weider.
  8. Changing Ports and Developing a More Complex Protocol
     This Group felt this should not be pursued.

  9. Ability to Hold Connections Open
     Multiple queries would benefit from the ability to leave a
     connection open.  This should be included as an option.

 10. Template Clearinghouse
     CNIDR has volunteered to perform this function.

 11. Synonyms
     This feature would allow the ability to perform implicit ``or''
     queries.  It was recommended that this feature not be included.
     This can be accomplished by the client issuing multiple queries.

 12. Database Write Option
     This feature would provide a distributed data management feature
     and should be included as an option.


Review of the Distributed Whois++ model - Centroids - Chris Weider

Chris gave a brief overview of the Centroid model of data propagation
and information retrieval.  The following extensions are recommended for
the centroid model.


  1. A free text abstract of the contents of each centroid server would
     provide a mechanism for finding servers which contain topical
     information of interest.  This would provide an efficient way of
     providing a ``Yellow Pages'' directory server.

  2. Polled by and polled for features would provide a mechanism for
     determining server location.

  3. Bookmarks allow users to return to servers they have found useful
     in the past.


Review of Front End to Database Integration - Jim Fullton

A Whois++ client can be implemented with simple shell scripts.  Centroid
implementation on a UNIX platform currently require gdbs.  Clients have
been implemented on RS6000, Sun and Linex platforms.

Review of Recommended Modifications to the Whois Protocol - Joan Gargano

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Joan discussed the collation of data elements underway by the IAFA, NIR,
TopNode and WNILS members.  A revised list of data elements will be
incorporated into the document prior to submission as an Internet-Draft.

Discussion of Projects

A simple server, centroid and client will be available by April 30th.
Sources will be available on ftp.cnidr.org.

Revise Goals and Milestones


April 30, 1993    Submit the ``Whois and Network Information Lookup
              Service Recommendations'' and ``Architecture of the
              Whois++ Index Service'' documents as Internet-Drafts.
April 30, 1993    A working implementation of the Whois++ protocol will
              be available for demonstration.  Sources will be
              available from ftp.cnidr.org.
June 11, 1993    Submit the ``Whois and Network Information Lookup
              Service Recommendations'', ``Architecture of the Whois++
              Index Service'' and ``Distributed Whois++ Model -
              Centroids'' documents as Draft Standards.



Attendees

Vikas Aggarwal           [e-mail]
N. Akiko Aizawa          [e-mail]
Harald Alvestrand        [e-mail]
Robert Beer              [e-mail]
Richard Bjers            [e-mail]
Thomas Brisco            [e-mail]
Sandy Bryant             [e-mail]
Jodi-Ann Chu             [e-mail]
David Conklin            [e-mail]
Naomi Courter            [e-mail]
Brent Curtiss            [e-mail]
Mark Davis-Craig         [e-mail]
Alan Emtage              [e-mail]
Roger Fajman             [e-mail]
Jill Foster              [e-mail]
Ned Freed                [e-mail]
Marcello Frutig          [e-mail]
Jim Fullton              [e-mail]
Maria Gallagher          [e-mail]
Kevin Gamiel             [e-mail]
Joan Gargano             [e-mail]
Greg Gicale              [e-mail]
Terry Gray               [e-mail]

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Susan Harris             [e-mail]
Alisa Hata               [e-mail]
Russ Hobby               [e-mail]
Ellen Hoffman            [e-mail]
Susan Horvath            [e-mail]
Inna Il'yasova           [e-mail]
Lenore Jackson           [e-mail]
Neil Katin               [e-mail]
John Klensin             [e-mail]
Jim Knowles              [e-mail]
Edward Krol              [e-mail]
Hock-Koon Lim            [e-mail]
Daniel Long              [e-mail]
David Lovering           [e-mail]
Bruce Mackey             [e-mail]
Samir Malak              [e-mail]
Kent Malave              [e-mail]
Janet L. Marcisak        [e-mail]
April Marine             [e-mail]
Jerry Martin             [e-mail]
Michael Mealling         [e-mail]
Mitra                    [e-mail]
Keith Moore              [e-mail]
Masataka Ohta            [e-mail]
Pete Percival            [e-mail]
David Perkins            [e-mail]
Marsha Perrott           [e-mail]
Mark Prior               [e-mail]
Robert Raisch            [e-mail]
Joyce K. Reynolds        [e-mail]
Francois Robitaille      [e-mail]
Carl Schoeneberger       [e-mail]
Jennifer Sellers         [e-mail]
Jane Smith               [e-mail]
Mark Smith               [e-mail]
Larry Snodgrass          [e-mail]
Craig Todd               [e-mail]
Matt Tuttle              [e-mail]
Gregory Vaudreuil        [e-mail]
Ruediger Volk            [e-mail]
Janet Vratny             [e-mail]
Chris Weider             [e-mail]
Les Wibberley            [e-mail]



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