[ncc-services-wg] Reverse DNS Restructuring Project

             Summary of the discussion on the 
       Reverse DNS Restructuring Project proposal.

Wednesday October 1, We posted a message [1] requesting feedback on a
proposal for restructuring our reverse DNS setup [2].

During the discussion a few minor technical details where raised and
clarified. The main focus was on the use of the INETNUM's 'rev-serv:'
attribute to carry the information about to which servers reverse
zones need to be delegated.

The rev-serv: attribute in the INETNUM object has historically been
the method to express reverse delegation information. However,
delegation information has been carried through the DOMAIN object
since 199?.

The request to investigate the use for "rev-serv:" for carrying
reverse delegation information has been dully noted. 

Both approaches were analyzed and both have pros and cons depending on
a use case. Also we have seen little to no support for the request to
use "rev-serv:" and since we feel that the changes to the system
should have a minimal effect on the day-to-day operations of our
customers we have chosen to go forward with the DOMAIN object to carry
delegation information.

The existence of both a "rev-serv:" and a DOMAIN object is seen as
confusing. Because of the historic use of the "rev-serv:" attribute
there will be consequences during the "cleanup" phase of the project.
This is because some data in the reverse zones has existed for years
and there are no DOMAIN object for these delegations while there are
"rev-serv:" attributes for the corresponding INETNUM.

Bruce Campel [3] did some research on the "cleanup" effort and from his
analysis it is clear that most of the data in the DNS zone files is
covered by DOMAIN objects, but that some effort is needed to deal
with 'old' delegations that only have a "rev-serv:" attribute.

We are continuing our efforts on this project. A proposal for the
MNT_DOMAIN authorization method, a proposal for cleanup and a proposal
to deprecate "rev-serv:" are forthcoming.

We would like to thank those who provided feed-back on the proposal.

--Olaf
  
---------------------------------| Olaf M. Kolkman
---------------------------------| RIPE NCC


References:
[1] Original announcement: 
http://www.ripe.net/ripe/mail-archives/ncc-services-wg/2003/msg00312.html
[2] The proposal
http://www.ripe.net/reverse/proposal.html
[3]:http://www.ripe.net/ripe/mail-archives/ncc-services-wg/2003/msg00348.html