WHOIS lookup allows you to query information about domain names, such as the registrar, state, registration date, and expiration date.
You cannot implement WHOIS lookup for a domain name with a suffix that is not supported by Alibaba Cloud. In this case, you can directly visit the official website of the domain name registrar for lookup. You can view the domain name suffixes supported by Alibaba Cloud on the domain name pricing page.
Procedure
Query the information about a domain name.
Log on to the WHOIS platform, enter a domain name, and then click Search.
Analyze the domain name information.
Parameter
Description
Registrant E-mail
To comply with the Temporary Specification for gTLD Registration Data (Temporary Specification) issued by Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), and the compliance requirements stated in General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Alibaba Cloud WHOIS no longer provides personal information about registrants from May 25, 2018. The domain name proxy service provided by Alibaba Cloud was suspended from May 25, 2018.
Sponsoring Registrar
The current registrar of the domain name, such as Alibaba Cloud Computing Ltd. d/b/a HiChina (www.net.cn).
Registration Date
The date when the domain name was registered.
Expiration Date
The time when the domain name expires. Domain name registrants must renew their domain names before the domain names expire. This ensures that the domain names can work as expected. For more information, see Renew domain names.
Domain Status
The state of the domain name, which is related to specific security settings of the domain name. For example, if a domain name is configured to prohibit transfer or deletion, the value of the Domain Status parameter is clientTransferProhibited or clientDeleteProhibited. The state of a domain name changes at different stages, such as registration and expiration. For more information, see the States of the security locks for domain names section in this topic.
DNS Server
The current Domain Name System (DNS) server of the domain name. For more information about how to change the DNS server, see Change DNS servers for a domain name.
Domain name states
States of newly registered domain names
Domain name state | Description |
addPeriod | Indicates that the domain name is in the new registration period set by the domain name registry. A domain name is in this state within the first five days after the registration. In this state, the domain name can work as expected. After five days, the state is automatically changed. |
ok | Indicates that the domain name is in the normal state. Domain names in this state can be used as expected. No operations need to be immediately performed and no protection measures are configured for such domain names. Note If a domain name is in another state, the state of the domain name is not displayed as ok. However, this does not indicate that the domain name is abnormal. |
States of the security locks for domain names
Domain name state | Description |
clientDeleteProhibited | Indicates that deletion prohibition is set by the domain name registrar. In this state, the domain name cannot be deleted. |
serverDeleteProhibited | Indicates that deletion prohibition is set by the domain name registry. In this state, the domain name cannot be deleted. |
clientUpdateProhibited | Indicates that update prohibition is set by the domain name registrar. In this state, you cannot modify information about the domain name, such as the registrant, administrative contact, technical contact, billing contact, and DNS server. However, you can configure or update resolution records. |
serverUpdateProhibited | Indicates that update prohibition is set by the domain name registry. In this state, you cannot modify the information about the domain name, such as the registrant, administrative contact, technical contact, billing contact, and DNS server. However, you can configure or update resolution records. |
clientTransferProhibited | Indicates that transfer prohibition is set by the domain name registrar. In this state, the domain name cannot be transferred to another domain name registrar. |
serverTransferProhibited | Indicates that transfer prohibition is set by the domain name registry. In this state, the domain name cannot be transferred to another domain name registrar. This state can prohibit new domain names from being transferred within 60 days after they are registered. This state can also prohibit existing domain names from being transferred again within 60 days after they are transferred. The state will be automatically changed after 60 days. The domain name registry also attaches this state to domain names involved in arbitration or litigation. The state will be changed after the arbitration or litigation ends. |
States related to the resolution prohibition and renewal prohibition
Domain name state | Description |
pendingVerification | Indicates that the domain name is in the registration verification period. Domain names in this state have not been approved after registration. You must provide materials for real-name verification within five days after registration. If you do not submit the materials within the five days, the domain name enters the serverHold state. |
clientHold | Indicates that the domain name resolution is suspended by the domain name registrar. The resolution of domain names in the clientHold state is suspended. You must contact the domain name registrar to change the state. |
serverHold | Indicates that the domain name resolution is suspended by the domain name registry. The resolution of domain names in the serverHold state is suspended. This state is displayed when real-name verification of a .cn domain name fails. If real-name verification is passed within the validity period, this state is changed. |
inactive | Indicates that the domain name is inactive. The domain name cannot be resolved because the DNS server is not specified during registration. You must configure the DNS server at the registrar. |
clientRenewProhibited/serverRenewProhibited | Indicates that renewal prohibition is set by the domain name registrar or the domain name registry. Domain names in this state cannot be renewed because the domain names may be involved in arbitration or disputes. You must contact the registrar to obtain the reason. |
pendingTransfer | Indicates that pending transfer is set by the domain name registry. A domain name in this state is being transferred to another domain name registrar. |
redemptionPeriod | Indicates that the domain name is in the redemption period set by the domain name registry. When a domain name is in the redemption period, you can contact the domain name registrar to redeem the domain name at a higher price before the redemption period ends. |
Registration information about domain names
Registrar information and description
You can obtain the following information in the Detailed WHOIS information section of the domain name details page.
Registrar information | Description |
Registrar URL | The URL of the registrar. |
Registrar | The name of the registrar. |
Registrar IANA ID | The ID assigned by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) to the registrar. |
Registrar Abuse Contact Email | The email address of the registrar to which the abuse of domain names can be reported. |
Registrar Abuse Contact Phone | The phone number of the registrar to which the abuse of domain names can be reported. |