At 09:54 AM 7/13/01 +0100, you wrote:
>I'm a bit puzzled by some of the data returned by a whois query. Can anyone
>tell me what the difference is between -
>
> > Record last updated on 20-Feb-2001
>and
> > Database last updated on 12-Jul-2001 04:15:00 EDT?
>
>You'd assume that updating the first would update the second and that
>therefore the two dates would be the same ...

The record (entry) you are querying was last changed in February.  The
database (the collection of entries held by the responding server) has been
updated recently (and so is not getting stale).

>2) Is a 'Domain server' another term for 'name server'?

Each is short for "domain name server".

>3) Why have 2?
> >  Domain servers in listed order:
> >   NS1.SUITES.COM               12.106.4.12
> >   NS2.SUITES.COM               12.106.4.13

Two is the strongly recommended minimum for reliable service.  If one
fails, the other can provide service.

They are supposed to be far enough apart to avoid common problems (power,
network, operational, environmental).  These two are adjacent in IP
address, suggesting they may be too close together in other ways.

--Mark Williamson