Whois Server Port Mapping for TLD Provisioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
The creation and administration of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) require a Whois service, which is cost-prohibitive and does not scale with the hundreds of new gTLDs expected, necessitating an automated solution with minimal manual intervention.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for automatically providing Whois services to new TLDs, where a Whois server is connected to a registry and user via a network, with ports mapped to TLDs, allowing for efficient provisioning and querying of domain registration information, including personal contact details based on privacy settings, and supporting premium services for authorized access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual Whois service provisioning is used for each new gTLD, then service accuracy is maintained, but cost and time consumption increase prohibitively
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic self-provisioning of Whois services for new gTLDs through automated domain name system operations. When a new gTLD is registered, the system automatically configures Whois service parameters, maps ports, and establishes service relationships without requiring manual administrative intervention for each individual gTLD, thereby maintaining accuracy while dramatically improving provisioning efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-configures Whois service templates, port mappings, and service parameters in advance. When a new gTLD is created, these pre-prepared configurations are automatically applied through batch processing, eliminating the need for manual setup of each service component and enabling scalable provisioning across hundreds of gTLDs
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate Whois services are created for each new gTLD, then service specificity is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a universal Whois service platform that can handle multiple gTLDs through a single integrated infrastructure. The Whois server is configured to serve multiple TLDs simultaneously using port mapping and domain-specific parameter configurations, eliminating the need for separate physical or logical service instances for each gTLD while maintaining service specificity through software-based differentiation
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from creating separate Whois service instances (vertical multiplication) to using port mapping and configuration parameters (horizontal differentiation). By introducing the dimension of port mapping where a single Whois server listens on multiple ports and routes queries to appropriate TLDs, the system reduces infrastructure complexity while maintaining service specificity
3Productivity
If automated Whois service provisioning is implemented, then provisioning efficiency improves, but service reliability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates automated verification and testing mechanisms that provide feedback loops during the provisioning process. After automatic configuration of Whois services for new gTLDs, the system performs validation queries and checks to ensure proper service establishment, logging results and enabling corrective actions if anomalies are detected, thereby maintaining reliability through automated quality assurance
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements error handling and fallback mechanisms that prepare for potential provisioning failures in advance. Configuration templates include validation rules, and the automated process includes retry logic and error reporting capabilities that cushion against failures, ensuring that automated provisioning maintains the same reliability standards as manual processes
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and systems are disclosed for quickly providing Whois services to a new top level domain after it is provisioned in a registry. In one embodiment, domain data is received at a first system regarding a top level domain (TLD). The domain data is assigned an authoritative port of a Whois server and is provisioned in a registry database. In certain embodiments, the Whois server provides information relating to domain name registrations of the TLD in the database, according to the authoritative port. The Whois server determines that a Whois query is received at the authoritative port for the queried TLD and responds with the queried information. To the requester, the responses appear as if they are sent from a unique Whois server for each TLD, but the Whois server is actually shared among the TLDs.