I believe Vixie stated (back in November) that all of the root server operators now manually FTP the files from NSI and load them as local masters after manual verification (http://www.cctec.com/maillists/nanog/historical/9811/msg00369.html). I don't believe it's been stated publicly whether they keep backup copies, but I'd be surprised if none of them did. Paul? Care to comment? Stephen | | Stephen Sprunk, K5SSS, CCIE #3723 :|: :|: NSA, Network Consulting Engineer :|||: :|||: 14875 Landmark Blvd #400; Dallas, TX .:|||||||:..:|||||||:. Pager: 800-365-4578 / 800-901-6078 C I S C O S Y S T E M S Email: ssprunk@cisco.com -----Original Message----- From: Dean Robb <pceasy@norfolk.infi.net> To: Sean Donelan <SEAN@SDG.DRA.COM> Cc: nanog@merit.edu <nanog@merit.edu> Date: Saturday, March 27, 1999 22:18 Subject: Re: Network Solutions is now in the wringer

At 01:22 3/27/99 -0600, Sean Donelan wrote:

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pceasy@norfolk.INfi.NET (Dean Robb) writes:

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While not a network operator, I think it would be most prudent to

consider

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and discuss (among those who ARE netops) what do to if, say, the root server were suddenly comletely unaccessible for several days/permanently for *whatever* reason.

Duh, isn't that why there is more than one root server in the world?

My concern is with the master server that NSI operates. My hope was that a netop who *didn't* have a contingency plan might start putting one together.

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However I feel some people confuse the data in the root servers, with the databases used to generate those zone files. There is a subtle, but important difference. And why simply copying the zone files is not sufficient.

So who has copies of the databases? If NSI's master (the a-root?) is unavailable, new domains obviously wouldn't propagate, but how long can the other root servers go without getting an update? Does the system as currently configured *require* some server somewhere to be the master and is there one that can take over if NSI's are toast?

"Small minds can only contemplate small ideas".....Unknown

Dean Robb Owner, PC-EASY (757) 495-EASY [3279] On-site computer repair, upgrades and consultations Read my game reviews/columns in SimOps on WWW.TheGamers.Net