From a toolforge `webservice shell` console:
```
>>> from ipwhois import net
>>> net.Net("145.64.254.243").get_whois('ripencc')
'% This is the RIPE Database query service.
% The objects are in RPSL format.
%
% The RIPE Database is subject to Terms and Conditions.
% See http://www.ripe.net/db/support/db-terms-conditions.pdf
%ERROR:201: access denied for 185.15.56.1
%
% Sorry, access from your host has been permanently
% denied because of a repeated excessive querying.
% For more information, see
% http://www.ripe.net/data-tools/db/faq/faq-db/why-did-you-receive-the-error-201-access-denied
% This query was served by the RIPE Database Query Service version 1.98 (HEREFORD)'
```
They have some pages which may be relevant:
https://www.ripe.net/manage-ips-and-asns/db/support/documentation/ripe-database-acceptable-use-policy/why-did-i-receive-an-error-201-access-denied
https://www.ripe.net/manage-ips-and-asns/db/support/documentation/ripe-database-acceptable-use-policy
I do not know specifically what the reason is for this block. If it relates to "personal data sets", the site says that using the `-r` flag will prevent the contact information from being returned. We do not use the command line interface (it is not even available), and it would be necessary to patch the python "ipwhois" library in order to pass that flag.
As a result of this block, administrators and checkusers receive degraded or no information when they attempt to look up information related to an IP address in the RIPE region. This impacts our ability to understand how a specific IP address is being used (commercial vs residential vs hosting provider) as well as our ability to calculate appropriate IP ranges for checkuser and for blocking. Specifically, they will only see the IP range allocated to RIPE, and not the range allocated by RIPE to the customer, which is likely to result in blocks and CU being performed at the /16 rather than at a more appropriate size.