What is WHOIS?
WHOIS is the name of a searchable database maintained by the registrar, which contains information about domain names, and the contacts associated with them.
What does WHOIS do?
WHOIS provides you with information about the domain name and what server it's on, where it's registered, and sometimes, when it will expire or will become available.
Currently, VeriSign Registry publishes the following domain information:
| Domain Name: EXAMPLE.COM Registrar: NETWORK SOLUTIONS, INC. Whois Server: whois.networksolutions.com Referral URL: http://www.networksolutions.com Name Server: A.IANA-SERVERS.NET Name Server: B.IANA-SERVERS.NET Status: ACTIVE Updated Date: 19-aug-2002 Creation Date: 01-jan-1999 Expiration Date: 01-jan-2009 |
Status values can be one or more of the following (each will appear on its own line if set):
ACTIVE: The registry sets this status. The domain can be modified by the registrar. The domain can be renewed. The domain will be included in the zone if the domain has been delegated to at least one name server.
REGISTRY-LOCK: The registry sets this status. The domain can not be modified or deleted by the registrar. The registry must remove the REGISTRY-LOCK status for the registrar to modify the domain. The domain can be renewed. The domain will be included in the zone if the domain has been delegated to at least one name server.
REGISTRY-HOLD: The registry sets this status. The domain can not be modified or deleted by the registrar. The registry must remove the REGISTRY-HOLD status for the registrar to modify the domain. The domain can be renewed. The domain will not be included in the zone.
REGISTRAR-LOCK: The sponsoring registrar sets this status. The domain can not be modified or deleted. The registrar must remove REGISTRAR-LOCK status to modify the domain. The domain can be renewed. The domain will be included in the zone.
REGISTRAR-HOLD: The sponsoring registrar sets this status. The domain can not be modified or deleted. The registrar must remove REGISTRAR-HOLD status to modify the domain. The domain can be renewed. The domain will not be included in the zone.
