[gsoc25] Added WHOIS Blog post

Signed-off-by: Aman Jagotra <aman.jagotra@beyondirr.tech>

Author: DragnEmperor

content/blog/gsoc-25-whois-and-ip-geolocation.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,226 @@
+WHOIS Information and IP Address-Based Geolocation
+==================================================
+
+:date: 2025-09-01
+:author: Aman Jagotra
+:tags: gsoc, controller, whois, ip, new-features
+:category: gsoc
+:lang: en
+:image_url: https://openwisp.org/images/blog/gsoc25-whois-and-ip-geolocation/gsoc25-whois-and-ip-geolocation.png
+:image_width: 713
+:image_height: 297
+
+.. image:: {static}/images/blog/gsoc25-whois-and-ip-geolocation/gsoc25-whois-and-ip-geolocation.png
+    :alt: Google Summer of Code, OpenWISP WHOIS Information and IP Geolocation
+    :align: center
+
+This summer has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my journey
+as a developer. Over the past three months, I worked on my Google Summer
+of Code project under the mentorship of `Federico Capoano (nemesifier)
+<https://github.com/nemesifier>`_, `Sankalp (codesankalp)
+<https://github.com/codesankalp>`_ and `Kapil Bansal (devkapilbansal)
+<https://github.com/devkapilbansal>`_. The journey was filled with
+challenges, creative problem-solving, and exciting breakthroughs that
+significantly enhanced both my technical and collaborative skills.
+
+About the Project
+-----------------
+
+.. image:: https://img.youtube.com/vi/tQTUJ5MKfTk/maxresdefault.jpg
+    :alt: WHOIS Information and IP Geolocation Demonstration Video
+    :target: https://youtu.be/tQTUJ5MKfTk
+
+The WHOIS Information and IP Address-Based Geolocation Module enhances
+OpenWISP by enriching device metadata with ownership details and
+approximate geographic location whenever a new public IP address is
+reported. This feature helps administrators improve network visibility,
+identify anomalies, and streamline troubleshooting by providing context
+about IP addresses directly within the OpenWISP platform.
+
+For further details on these features and their functionality within
+OpenWISP, see the documentation pages listed here:
+
+- `WHOIS Lookup
+  <https://openwisp.io/docs/stable/controller/user/whois.html>`_
+- `Estimated Location
+  <https://openwisp.io/docs/stable/controller/user/estimated-location.html>`_
+
+Building WHOIS and IP Geolocation Functionality
+-----------------------------------------------
+
+My work involved tracking the IP addresses reported by devices and using
+it to fetch WHOIS information which included details like organization
+name, ASN, and location details. Using the location details obtained, a
+location linked to the device must be created with clear indication of its
+estimated nature.
+
+Technical Approach
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+To fetch WHOIS information, I used `geoip2 web service
+<https://geoip2.readthedocs.io/en/latest/#sync-web-service-example>`_ to
+obtain the necessary details. While **django** provides built-in support
+for **geoip2**, at the time of writing this, it supports only database
+based approach (which we will target in the future) and also has limited
+fields available (see:
+https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/5.2/ref/contrib/gis/geoip2/).
+
+I also kept all the related code inside a single folder (``config/whois``
+and ``geo/estimated-location``) to ensure flexibility, modularity and
+maintainability while also following existing directory and coding
+standards.
+
+Features Implemented
+--------------------
+
+WHOIS Lookup
+~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+.. image:: {static}/images/blog/gsoc25-whois-and-ip-geolocation/whois-details.webp
+    :alt: WHOIS Details in OpenWISP
+
+WHOIS is a widely used protocol that provides publicly available
+registration details of IP addresses and domain names. It helps identify
+the organization or individual that owns an IP address, along with related
+information such as the organization name, ASN (Autonomous System Number),
+CIDR block, etc. This data is crucial for network management, security
+auditing, and diagnostics.
+
+To perform a WHOIS lookup, the last reported IP address of a device is
+tracked for changes. When a change is detected, the system performs all
+the necessary checks and fetches asynchronously the WHOIS information
+related to the new IP. Fetched details include organization name, ASN,
+CIDR block, physical address, coordinates and timezone. Since the linking
+of device and WHOIS record is via ip_address, data redundancy is
+minimized.
+
+Functional Highlights:
+
+- **Global Configuration:** The feature can be configured globally as well
+  as for individual organizations.
+- **Asynchronous Lookup:** The lookup is done in background asynchronously
+  to avoid blocking the main application flow.
+- **Up-to-date WHOIS Information:** The system periodically refreshes
+  WHOIS information to ensure it remains current and accurate.
+- **Dedicated Admin Section:** WHOIS details are displayed alongside
+  ``last_ip`` in the device admin page for easy access.
+- **REST API:** WHOIS information is included in both device list and
+  detail endpoints for API consumers.
+
+**Related Work:**
+
+- `WHOIS Data Retrieval and Storage #1054
+  <https://github.com/openwisp/openwisp-controller/pull/1054>`_
+- `Show WHOIS Details in the UI #1065
+  <https://github.com/openwisp/openwisp-controller/pull/1065>`_
+- `Updating stale WHOIS records #1116
+  <https://github.com/openwisp/openwisp-controller/pull/1116>`_
+
+Estimated Location
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+.. image:: {static}/images/blog/gsoc25-whois-and-ip-geolocation/estimated-location.webp
+    :alt: Estimated Location Feature in OpenWISP
+
+IP-based geolocation estimates the physical location of a device using its
+public IP address. This is achieved by querying reliable IP geolocation
+databases that map IP ranges to real-world locations. The information
+retrieved typically includes country, region, city, coordinates, and
+sometimes the ISP. While not as precise as GPS, it is highly useful for
+network monitoring, compliance, and detecting anomalies such as devices
+connecting from unexpected regions.
+
+Creation of estimated location for the device is done after performing
+WHOIS lookup since location related information (coordinates and address)
+is fetched as part of it.
+
+Functional Highlights:
+
+- **Global Configuration:** The feature can be configured globally as well
+  as for individual organizations.
+- **Asynchronous Management:** The creation/update of an estimated
+  location is done in background asynchronously to avoid blocking the main
+  application flow.
+- **Clear Indicators and status update:** Estimated locations are flagged
+  in the admin for manual review, and the status is cleared automatically
+  when the address or geometry is updated.
+- **User alerts:** Dispatch web notifications for modifications in
+  estimated location.
+- **REST API:** Estimated Status is included in all location related API
+  endpoints like location list/detail, device locations etc. The field can
+  also be used for filtering results.
+
+**Related Work:**
+
+- `Estimated Location Creation #1067
+  <https://github.com/openwisp/openwisp-controller/pull/1067>`_
+- `Estimated location: added notification and admin warning #1088
+  <https://github.com/openwisp/openwisp-controller/pull/1088>`_
+- `Estimated Location: Remove estimated status on manual update #1094
+  <https://github.com/openwisp/openwisp-controller/pull/1094>`_
+- `Estimated Location: Admin and API filters #1109
+  <https://github.com/openwisp/openwisp-controller/pull/1109>`_
+
+Current state
+-------------
+
+We are maintaining the ``gsoc25-whois`` branch as parent branch for all
+the WHOIS and IP geolocation features. Once all the PRs are merged and
+features are tested and validated, we can proceed with releasing these
+along with the next release of OpenWISP (Release 1.3).
+
+All the WHOIS feature related PRs are merged to the ``gsoc25-whois``
+branch except `Updating stale WHOIS records #1116
+<https://github.com/openwisp/openwisp-controller/pull/1116>`_ which is
+pending review.
+
+The Estimated location feature related PRs `Estimated Location Creation
+#1067 <https://github.com/openwisp/openwisp-controller/pull/1067>`_ and
+`Estimated Location: Admin and API filters #1109
+<https://github.com/openwisp/openwisp-controller/pull/1109>`_ are also
+pending review.
+
+My Experience
+-------------
+
+My GSoC journey with OpenWISP was an enriching experience that enhanced my
+technical and collaborative skills. I worked closely with an amazing
+community and mentors who provided constant guidance, insightful feedback,
+and encouraged best practices throughout the program.
+
+During this period, I gained hands-on experience with modern technologies
+and development practices, including writing efficient, reusable code,
+implementing automated tests, and improving software reliability through
+iterative development. I also learned the importance of database
+optimization, caching strategies, and integration testing, which deepened
+my understanding of building scalable applications.
+
+Beyond coding, I experienced the true essence of open-source
+collaboration—engaging with the community, understanding real-world use
+cases, and working in an environment where continuous feedback leads to
+better solutions. This journey strengthened my ability to adapt,
+troubleshoot, and deliver high-quality contributions.
+
+What's Next?
+------------
+
+As my GSoC journey comes to an end, I’m looking forward to building on the
+foundation we’ve created. There are several enhancements planned to make
+these features even more powerful and user-friendly, such as:
+
+- **Database-based WHOIS Lookup:** Adding support for MaxMind databases to
+  improve lookup speed and reliability with mechanisms to keep them
+  updated without manual effort.
+- **SSID-based Geolocation:** Implementing a feature to determine the
+  device's location based on nearby Wi-Fi SSIDs, leveraging external
+  services (e.g. Google) for more accurate results.
+
+Beyond these improvements, user feedback will play a key role in
+identifying bugs, edge cases, and areas for refinement, helping us make
+the features more robust over time.
+
+I plan to keep contributing actively to OpenWISP, working on bug fixes,
+adding new enhancements, and supporting new contributors in their
+open-source journey. Now that I have an in-depth understanding of the
+OpenWISP codebase, I’m also interested in maintaining and evolving the
+features I developed during GSoC.