What does the Whois protocol primarily serve to do?

The Whois protocol primarily serves to store registered user data for internet resources, which includes information about domain name registrants. When a domain is registered, the registrant's details such as name, contact information, and the domain's name servers are stored in a Whois database. This information can be accessed publicly through Whois queries, allowing individuals and organizations to find out who owns a particular domain name and obtain other relevant registration details.

Understanding this function is key, as it demonstrates the transparency and accountability in domain registration, helping to establish trust and resolve disputes related to domain ownership. The accuracy of this data is important for various reasons, including legal matters, cybersecurity investigations, and ensuring that domain names are not misused.

In the context of the other options, their functions are distinct. Resolving IP addresses to hostnames involves the Domain Name System (DNS), which maps human-readable domain names to numeric IP addresses. Managing domain names in DNS also falls under the functions of the DNS and involves keeping track of where to direct traffic for domain names. Allocating IP addresses to organizations pertains to the role of regional internet registries (RIRs) and is not directly related to the Whois database. Thus, while those processes are integral to internet functioning, they do not