RE: new.net: yet another dns namespace overlay play
:: > The stub config is interesting, though. :: :: Will be interesting to see if it even works. :: :: If they are just stubs for the fakeTLD.newdotnet.net., then :: all client :: requests will have to be properly formatted on send, meaning :: that it will :: only work if the plugin is used. Stuff like ping won't work. Nasty. :: :: If they are supporting an alias function (assuming ISPs are able to :: control the DNS settings on their users systems), then the :: ISP partners' :: DNS servers will have to run fake roots in order catch the :: requests for :: fake.zone. If they do that, are they going to answer with fake.zone. :: RRsets? or are they going to DNAME/CNAME everything? :: :: Neither mechanisms are pretty, both are required, it'll never last. No. It appears that they have fully prepared TLD DNS service implemented for the .chat, .xxx, .book, etc., Just like I could prepare a .karyn. TLD and set it up on my name server. I checked it out, the stub config sets up a slave stub zone for the TLDs they are serving, the resulting db file generated is like: ; BIND version named 8.2.3-REL Wed Jan 31 09:45:01 PST 2001 ; BIND version root@dns-01-001.root-dns.com:/usr/local/src/bind-8.2.3/src/bin/named ; zone 'chat' first transfer ; from 204.69.234.253:53 (local 64.7.192.162) using AXFR at Tue Mar 6 09:29:16 2001 $ORIGIN .chat 7200 IN SOA ns0.newdotnet.net. hostmaster.new.net. ( 983865614 1200 300 3600000 600 ) 7200 IN NS udns1.newdotnet.net. 7200 IN NS udns2.newdotnet.net. Using the stub config, you don't have to alter your root.cache. If ICANN has the root servers start serving of .chat info, then you can just remove the zone config from the .conf file. It's not that complicated to manage. You can keep the whole stub config outside of your main configs and "include" it (I do this ALOT anyways). The result is that you have a simple NS record like you do for COM/NET/ORG/EDU, etc. Not to evil. However, it would be VERY evil if the plug-in thing got into broad use. What a load that would be. Technical support on it would be a nightmare for every single ISP on the Internet. Imagine troubleshooting Joe Users browser access when he isn't telling you he's using this thaang. Dark clouds of jumbled characters over every TS cube is what you'll get. Next thing you know, every inet app would have to have this layer to get anywhere (the POS layer). Also, it's pretty evil that the first course they are offering ISP is to replace their root.cache file with a file that just has their 3 dns servers. No thanx. I'd hate to see what I'd find out when I trace out their locations and connectivity. Hopefully, they are smarter than having it as Bob's ISP, but I (like most netops) have become very cyncial about the technical capabilities of startups and "new" technologies. I would be willing to use them for name service for these alternative TLDs until they are served on the root servers. BUT, I won't depend on them for access to the root servers themselves. Color me foolish. K
Using the stub config, you don't have to alter your root.cache.
Looking at their web site it appears there are two options for uses other than browsers: stub the fake zones on your own server, or use their root zone (local or remote copy, either way it's still their private root). The original issue still exists in either case. If a user sends a query for www.domain.xxx. -- and if that query is redirected to a "partner" ISP's DNS servers for resolution (because the ISP has configed the client this way via PPP or DHCP or whatever) -- then will the query be answered with RRs for the fake TLD or will it be answered with new.net. CNAME or DNAME answers/referrals. Similarly, this is also a question for the browser plug-in: does the "query" get changed to fake.xxx.new.net. or does it get passed in original form to their root servers? We have been assuming the former but I'm not sure that's what they'll be doing in light of the above. The real question is "do member zones exist under the fake root or under the new.net. hierararchy?" IE, is the fake root just providing referrals to the new.net. hierarchy or is it really acting like a new hierarchy? For mail processing purposes, referrals would seem to be the same way to go, with all customers getting a 3LD under new.net, and also getting a 2LD under one of the fake TLDs. Using a fake 2LD for daily operations would require that everybody who ever wanted to send you mail had access to the fake zone structure. Conversely, if it's just a web-branding thing, then the fake zones via the web snapin would work okay (but ping and other tools sure wouldn't). I suppose this is more of a concern with how they are positioning it and the expectations they are setting. And voila: http://www.new.net/help_faq.tp#tc-9 "9. Can I use my New.net domain for email? "We are currently working on an email solution to parallel our Web site addressing system. In the meantime, you may send or receive emails at your New.net domain by appending new.net onto your domain name. "For example, if your New.net domain is www.pie.shop and you have chosen self@pie.shop as your email address, you can use self@pie.shop.new.net as your temporary address until your email software is published. We will notify all domain name holders when that software is available." This will collapse before too long. We should start a pool on how long they last. -- Eric A. Hall http://www.ehsco.com/ Internet Core Protocols http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/coreprot/
participants (2)
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Eric A. Hall
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Karyn Ulriksen