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How can WHOIS information be stored?
Home » Website Services » WHOIS » How can WHOIS information be stored?There are two ways that WHOIS information may be stored: thick or thin. With the thick model, one WHOIS server stores the WHOIS information from all the registrars for the particular set of data. For example, one WHOIS server can respond with WHOIS information on all .org domains.
With the thin model, one WHOIS server stores the name of the WHOIS server of a registrar that has the full details on the data being looked up. For example, the .com WHOIS servers refer the WHOIS query to the registrar that the domain was registered from. The thick model usually ensures consistent data and slightly faster lookups (since only one WHOIS server needs to be contacted).
What happens if a WHOIS client does not understand the information being returned? Thin lookup results (which include the WHOIS server of the registrar, and perhaps a few other necessary details) will be displayed to the end user. If the WHOIS client understood how to deal with this situation, it would display the full information from the registrar. Unfortunately, there is no standard in the WHOIS protocol for determining how to distinguish the thin model from the thick model.
Different domain name registries store information in different ways. Some top-level domains, including .com and .net, operate a thin WHOIS, allowing the various domain registrars the ability to maintain their own customers' data. Other registries, including .org, operate a thick model.
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