DNS recommendations - the paper

>> i would also ask what happened to the idea of a concrete simple example?
> Can you provide one? ;-)

this is from a real tld.  you may want to tune timing for a subdomain.

@       14400   SOA     nshost.example.         mymailbox.nshost.example. (
                        1999811220              ; serial
                        86400                   ; refresh every one day
                        3600                    ; retry every hour
                        2592000                 ; expire in 30 days
                        14400 )                 ; default TTL of 4 hours

                NS      nshost.example.
                NS      offnet.host.example.
                
                A       10.666.42.77
                ; if someone else spools your mail, 
                ; because @ can not receive mail, then
                MX  100 friendly.mail.spool.example.
                
www             CNAME   @

>> or, i think it was piet who recommended being conservative, and do not
>> relying on aliases, rather use a real mailbox name.
> Nobody stops you from having a real hostmaster mailbox (like I have :-) )

nice tricky excuse.  but i thought we were trying to be simple and clear.

>>>     serial number:
>>>             Changed zones are only reloaded if a higher serial number
>>>             than the already known one is encountered, so be sure to
>>>             increase this number with every change you want to be seen.
>> and note that 'higher' is in modulo arithmetic as defined in RFC 1982,
>> which gives cute tricks for 'rolling' in the space.
> Good heavens - I never understood that part (arithmetics...). Can you
> give an easy explanation or would the audience think that "beware of
> possible wrapping" might suffice here?

see rfc 1982.

>>>     originating dns server:
>>>             As stated above, insert the name of the originating
>>>             server that is reachable from the Internet.
>> s/originating/primary/
> The originating server need not at all be exposed in one of the NS records
> as long as it exists (think of "hidden primary" setups). I don't even know
> whether this machine needs to exist (given the RNAME is valid). This is
> the reason why I chose "originating". Any other comments on this one? RFC
> pointers?

i would suggest minimizing invention of new terminology, if only so that the
neophyte reader's newly-gained knowledge gives them tools to deal with the
rest of the documents and people in the world.

>    To ensure reachability even in case of serious DNS and other
>    problems, make this address point to a true mailbox, not an
>    alias.

cool!

>>> Examples
>>>         IN NS ns.isp.net.           ; NS for all of the zone's domain
>>>     bla IN NS ns.cust.com.          ; subdelegation for bla.<zone>
>> might it be best if you showed the correct practice of two serverd for each
>> zone?
> It's just the syntax example.

which the neophyte reader will follow.  do not make it an incorrect one.

>>> Synopsis
>>>     [<hostname>] [<TTL>] IN A <IPV4 address> [<IPV4 address> ...]
>> please do not use the term 'hostname' as it causes great controversy re
>> charset.
> Hmm. What term would be most appropriate?

label is, i believe, the correct term.  or maybe domain name.

>> \340?
> Oh, I tried to be french here :-D (a-accent-grave)

q: what do you call someone who speaks only one language
a: an american

>>> Synopsis
>>>     <alias> [<TTL>] IN CNAME <hostname>
>> again, not 'hostname' please.  i believe that the rdata for a cname is an
>> arbitrary domain name.
> Hmm. Wouldn't "hostname" help the beginner without confusing the pro?

the pros are clearly well confused to the level of nuclear weapons.  why set
up the tyros to fall into the trap?

> Otherwise we'd have to define a couple RDATA types...

why?  the rfcs call it 'cannonical name'

>>> Semantics
>>>             CNAME records provide a means to give aliases to machines.
>> not just machines.
> I couldn't come up with an easy explanation of what's possible. The RFC
> is not very readable in many places, and the term "owner" sure wouldn't
> do good here, would it? Any ideas on how to change this?

CNAMEs map nicknames to cannonical names.  CNAMEs have very few uses (see
above example, RFC 2317, ...).  Be especially aware that nicknames must not
be used as the right hand of NS, MX, ... RRs.

>>> Glue records
>>>     "Glue records" is a term that describes entering A records into
>>>     a zone for machines whose hostnames do not lie within <zone>.
>> s/do not/do/
> Hmm. I took this paragraph from the original. I'm not sure I have
> understood what you call "glue" correctly...RFC2181 reads

they have one and only one use, when the rhs of an ns rr names a server
which has a domain name which is within the domain of the above soa.  e.g.

example.    SOA ...
            NS  foo
            NS  bar
foo         A   10.666.42.77
bar         A   192.168.666.42

note that foo and bar could be expressed without final dots.  this is what
i meant when i said glue is only used when the rhs of an ns rr can be
correctly written without the trailing dot.

> How far should this paper go into detail?

42

mfg,
randy