ICANN’s shift to RDAP: Enhancing internet resource management

ICANN’s shift to RDAP: Enhancing internet resource management is profiled by BTW Media because published evidence links it to internet infrastructure, governance, operational dependencies, or market visibility.

• ICANN is transitioning from Whois to RDAP, inviting community feedback to refine its features and establish it as the new standard for internet resource information.
• RDAP replaces outdated Whois with modern web technologies, offering structured data, enhanced security, and multilingual support for easier and more secure internet resource queries.

What happened

ICANN plans to phase out port 43 Whois servers and transition to RDAP. Some TLDs are expected to adopt RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol) soon. With its structured data, improved security, and better integration, RDAP is a more advanced solution for querying internet resource information.

The concept of managing internet addresses existed before formal organisations like RIRs (Regional Internet Registries) were created. Initially, Jon Postel, a researcher at the University of California, manually assigned and recorded IPv4 addresses and DNS (Domain Name System) domains. Later, with help from a secretary, his work evolved into IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority), eventually leading to the creation of RIRs like RIPE, APNIC, ARIN, LACNIC, and AFRINIC.

To manage and query resource records, the Whois service was introduced. It let users look up information about internet resources, such as domain names or IP addresses. However, Whois, which runs on TCP port 43, had significant limitations. It lacked scalability, detailed control, and multilingual support. To address these issues, the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) developed RDAP. RDAP uses modern web technologies like HTTP/HTTPS and provides information in a structured JSON format. It enhances security, simplifies access, and supports multiple languages. Unlike Whois, RDAP offers flexible, secure data retrieval and standardised communication between registries.

Also read: What is ICANN? Inside the non-profit org that ensures the stability of the internet

Also read: ICANN commits $200M to support internet development program

Why it is important

The transition to RDAP is crucial for modernising internet resource management. Whois, though essential in its time, has significant limitations. It struggles with scalability, lacks multilingual support, and offers limited security features. RDAP addresses these issues by using modern web technologies like HTTP/HTTPS and providing structured data in JSON format.

This upgrade ensures easier access, better integration, and enhanced security for users and registries. RDAP supports multiple languages, making it inclusive for global networks. Its structured approach enables efficient data retrieval and standardised communication between systems.

As ICANN plans to phase out port 43 Whois servers, the adoption of RDAP by TLDs will mark a major step forward. The change is not just about replacing outdated technology; it’s about building a more secure, flexible, and efficient system for querying internet resources. RDAP’s features make it essential for the future of internet resource management.