A NIC handle (Network Information Centre handle) is a unique alphanumeric character sequence that represents an entry in the databases maintained by Network Information Centres. When a new domain name is registered with a domain name registrar, a NIC handle is assigned by the registrar to the particular set of information associated with that domain name (such as who registered it and a contact e-mail address). Once a domain name has been registered, its NIC handle can be used to search for that record in the database.[1] [2]
The NIC handle was developed in 1982 by Ken Harrenstien and Vic White working at the early Network Information Center at SRI International.[3]