WHOISteenuse

WHOISteenuse is a network service used to obtain publicly available registration data about internet resources, most commonly domain names and IP address allocations. In Estonian contexts, the term WHOISteenuse denotes this class of services. It aggregates data from registries and registrars and allows users to query the ownership and administrative details associated with a resource.

Typical data retrieved includes registrant or organization name, administrative and technical contact details, registrar, registration dates (creation, last update, expiration), status codes, and authoritative name servers. Privacy practices have evolved, and many registries redact or mask personal contact information, displaying proxy or anonymized data instead.

Access and use: Queries are traditionally performed via the WHOIS protocol (TCP port 43) or through the RDAP system over HTTPS. Results may be presented as plain text or parsed by software; some registries require registration or impose rate limits. The availability and format of data can vary by registry or registrar.

Limitations and governance: Data accuracy depends on registries and registrars; not all data is complete or current. Privacy laws and policies, notably in the EU, have led to redaction of personal data. In response, RDAP and policy changes offer more standardized and privacy-respecting access, while WHOIS remains in use where RDAP is unavailable.

Context: The WHOIS concept emerged in the early internet as a coordination tool for domain and network administration. Today, many operators migrate to RDAP for structured, privacy-conscious data, though WHOIS continues to be used where RDAP is not yet available.