If we are taking the previous steps to register our own domain name, the most advisable thing to do is to know what WHOIS is before anything else, since it will allow us to increase our visibility and even to stay active, besides, knowing everything about this protocol we will know very well what to do when we need information about any other domain name and its guarantors.
So if we still do not know much about this transmission protocol, the best thing we can do is to look for timely information about it to know it better so that we are familiar with it, the good news is that we should not look for the information elsewhere, here we will explain what is WHOIS which by the way can be operated from a virtual machine in Linux and how we can use it to get the most out of it.
What is the WHOIS internet protocol service?
WHOIS, which comes from the English ‘Who Is’, is a transmission protocol that works with the request and response mode, acting as a huge database where a high percentage of all the information related to domain registrars is stored, it allows us to know the owner of a domain name or IP address on the Internet, it should be noted that until a while ago, all the information stored in WHOIS was available to the general public.
It is also a completely free service for those who show interest in knowing the data of the different domain owners, however, things have changed a bit, this as a result of the implementation of the General Regulation for Data Protection exactly in 2018, even so, WHOIS continues to be the tool par excellence for domain registrars because of the simple way in which we can use it in the updated version of Windows so we recommend you continue reading the article in order to learn other interesting details related to this service.
What can we use the WHOIS service for?
As we mentioned before, since it is a huge database, it contains information that it manages in a public way so all those interested in knowing the data and information about the domain name owners can use it to the fullest for their purposes since it allows to locate both the name and the contact information of the operator of a domain name of a website, additionally it can be given other interesting uses, let’s see some of them.
Describe the availability of a domain name
This function allows us to determine if a particular domain user name is available for our use or if it is already being used.
Provide domain owner information
To find out information related to the people responsible for a domain name, simply place the name in the WHOIS section and you will get everything we need to know – their real identity, their contact information and even their fiscal address.
Solve technical problems
Solving technical problems that may arise is also one of the interesting functions of this protocol service that helps us in many ways as it allows us to communicate with network administrators.
Claim your copyrights
Through the use of this service you can also contact the owner or owner of the domain in relation to issues concerning the protection and effective exercise of intellectual property rights.
What are the requirements for using WHOIS?
Any person or company interested in registering a domain name must provide technical and contact information that will be stored in the WHOIS database, once the domain name has been registered and after 7 days, you must provide all the WHOIS data that corresponds, which is why you must meet the following requirements.
Accuracy
The registered data connect people or companies with domain names, this is the reason why you must provide accurate and true contact data, if on the contrary we provide false data, we do not place them or we do not answer any query related to the sincerity of the data within the fifteen days that we are given for consultation, the domain name could be suspended and even canceled, although a program has nothing to do with the other, make a query in WHOIS is very similar to the Access query system that is the same modality question by answer.
What are the types of data WHOIS provides us with?
We already know that the General Data Protection Regulation imposes some limits on the type of information and data that the WHOIS protocol can provide, however, in each query we perform we can obtain information about the domain name, administrator ID, registrar name, DNS data used, registrar URL, name and email address of the administrator, expiration date of the name registration and date of creation of the domain name. Of course, everyone can keep their data private and this can be achieved by subscribing to a privacy service where everyone will be able to know who is the owner of the domain but nothing more.
What are the obligations I must fulfill to use WHOIS?
Of course when hiring a service there are certain policies that allow to maintain control within the service, these policies indicate to the person interested in registering a domain the way in which the service provider works, what it will give us but also what the person interested must give to this provider, it is a mutual agreement because a service contract is sealed, if both are clear in what each one must fulfill, the success of the working relationship will be guaranteed. Some of the obligations that we must fulfill if we want to use WHOIS are the following.
Obligations to domain name resellers and domain name registrars
Of course, since it is a very good service, it is possible that there are several providers, among them resellers, this as far as possible must try that the registry complies with all the obligations in the matter of WHOIS, especially if these resellers participate in the facilitation of the registration of a domain name.
Data Custody
ICANN, a corporation in charge of assigning names and numbers on the Internet since 1998, the year it was launched, strongly requires registrars to deliver an electronic copy of the respective registrar’s database, which of course must include the WHOIS data, to a reputable data protection and escrow service reseller, according to a schedule, conditions and formats specified by the aforementioned corporation.
Privacy
The submission and privacy services are especially aimed at those individuals or companies who wish to keep their information safe by preventing it from becoming public domain through the WHOIS system. In this sense there are two categories of privacy that will give the interested party the opportunity to choose between one or the other, the first one is the privacy service through which alternative data or contact information is published in the WHOIS system, this data must be reliable and can be a telephone number or address that will be kept in the registry as a user that benefits from the domain name.
The other category has to do with the representation or proxy, in these cases the provider registers the domain name and grants its respective license of use to the client, publishing the contact information of the privacy service provider but not the client’s information, so the representation service acquires the responsibility to provide accurate contact information in order to give a smooth course to any situation or problem that may occur in relation to the domain name.
Here are some of the benefits of using the WHOIS protocol
All the companies that register domains are obliged to make public by any means, specially through their web page, the conditions related to the benefits and responsibilities of the persons and companies that register their domain including a link to have access to this document, so that anyone can consult and be aware of their duties and rights, one of these benefits are the rights to the domain registrar, let’s see what it consists of.
Rights to the registrar of a domain
The rights of the different people who register a domain are linked to the instructions, which must be detailed and explain in a clear way the processes for the registration, transfer, management, renewal, and even reinstatement of domain name registrations.