* sean@donelan.com (Sean Donelan) [Wed 23 Oct 2002, 19:34 CEST]:
The last time all the root servers were down was June 28 1985. On June 29 1985 there was a flurry of messages about adding root server down code to the various DNS implementations of the day. Apparently, some of the software had a poor response to all root servers being unreachable, and spun out of control.
Has anyone tested modern DNS code (Microsoft and BIND to name two) for this condition recently? I haven't, hence my question.
I'm certain that a lot of Linux users on dialups have their computers boot up with an `all root servers unreachable' condition present, and that the caching named's on their computers don't spin out of control. To name but one scenario. Regards, -- Niels. -- "War is God's way of teaching Americans geography." -- Ambrose Bierce, writer (1842-1914)