As per Relevance of the word community, we have this rfc below:
Network Working Group Internet Architecture
Request for Comments: 1401 Lyman Chapin,
January 1993
Correspondence between the IAB and DISA on the use
DNS throughout the
Status of this
This memo provides information for the Internet community. It
not specify an Internet standard. Distribution of this memo
unlimited
This memo reproduces three letters exchanged between the
Activities Board (IAB) and the Defense Information Systems
(DISA) regarding the importance of using the Domain Name System (DNS
throughout the Internet, and phasing out the use of older host
to address tables, such as "hosts.txt".
IAB [Page 1]
RFC 1401 IAB & DISA Correspondence on DNS January 1993
1. Letter from the IAB to
30 March, 1992
To: Members of the Federal Networking Council
Members of the Federal Networking Advisory Council
Colonel Ken Thomas, Chairman
DoD Protocol Standards Steering Group, DISA/Center
CC: C. J. Pasquariello, Associate Director, Center for Standards
LCDR, David Chappell, Executive Secretary
PSSG, DISA/Center for
Eduardo Schonborn, Dep Director/DDN
As the IAB, together with others in the Internet Engineering
Research Task Forces, contemplates the challenges inherent in
with an exponentially expanding Internet, the critical need
widespread adoption of a uniform Domain Name service is
apparent
The attached memorandum is offered by the Internet Activities
for your consideration regarding technical policy concerning
naming in the US portion of the Internet. The proposed
policy is recommended world-wide and will be offered as an RFC
that purpose. Adoption of such a policy would, we believe,
enhance the operational efficiency of the existing world-
Internet backbone and major networks dependent upon it, including
DDN Milnet
Your consideration of this policy question is urged in the
possible terms. We would much appreciate hearing the views of
Protocol Standards Steering Group by April 20, 1992.
Regards
A. Lyman
Chairman, Internet Activities
IAB [Page 2]
RFC 1401 IAB & DISA Correspondence on DNS January 1993
The Domain Name System is an Internet
Internet Activities
February 1992
Over the last several years, the Internet has evolved in size
extensively that it has become infeasible to provide
services through a database maintained at a single,
repository. Both the size and the dynamics of the required data
such an approach impractical. Recognizing this problem several
ago [1], the Internet community has adopted the Domain Name
[2-5] as the principal means of achieving host name to IP
mappings. During this time, almost the entire Internet has
from the use of the static name-to-address mapping tables thus
centrally maintained at the DDN Network Information Center, to
use of the more dynamic, up-to-date address mapping provided by
mechanism
There are still large fractions of the Internet community which
on the use of a centrally-maintained file ("hosts.txt") to
this mapping function. The MILNET community appears to
substantial pockets of dependence on table-driven mappings,
example. Although a plan for achieving a MILNET transition to use
the Domain Name System was worked out in 1987, the transition
incomplete and, as a result, naming services (i.e., host name
on the MILNET) are many times still provided via static tables
than the distributed, and far more accurate, Domain Name System
Ironically, most of the commercial, off-the-shelf software for TCP/
supports the user of the Domain Name System, so a policy of
support and application of DNS would go a long way toward
the Defense Department data communication infrastructure, insofar
it is dependent on TCP/IP to interconnect hosts on LANs and WANs
The use of different means for name-to-address mappings by
parties in the network community leads to unsynchronized
inconsistent databases, which inevitably result in
failures by users attempting to connect to network resources
Moreover, the special facilities of the Domain Name System, such
the MX (Mail eXchange) record, make it possible to include
not directly on the Internet into the universe of
parties. MX records also allow a network administrator to
a list of alternative e-mail relays in case the final destination
not reachable. Systems which do not support MX records, but
still depend on the "hosts.txt" information, pose a serious
to network connectivity, as well as to the operation and
IAB [Page 3]
RFC 1401 IAB & DISA Correspondence on DNS January 1993
of the highly connected Internet
Non-DNS systems on the Internet will eventually be confronted
the need to decide whether they want to continue as a part of
larger Internet community, or remain a rather small, non-
subset. Should they choose not to conform to the otherwise
Domain Name System, they will have to accept the ramifications
this decision. In particular, they will have to accept that the
of the community may, indeed has already started to,
ignore those static files which reflect the principal non-DNS
service. The larger community has evolved so extensively
these configurations, that these files are not only obsolete as
technology, but also incomplete and often inaccurate in the
implementation. Upon connecting a new host to the Internet,
great majority of the Internet community no longer considers
registration of host name/address updates to the NIC database
necessity, and rather focuses on updating the Domain name System
Therefore, today's NIC database, and the "hosts.txt" file
from it, largely reflects only the non-DNS community, a tiny
of the hundreds of thousands of entities configured into the
name space via the DNS
If the non-DNS users maintain a requirement for the use of
mapping tables, at least some mechanism should exist to augment
NIC data sets with additional information represented by the
Name System. These more comprehensive tables, accompanied by
method to guarantee synchronization with the DNS, would
improve the accuracy of the information which non-DNS users apply
map between names and addresses. However, this solution will
address the need for support of the richer DNS functionality by
NIC's system. At a minimum, the incorporation of MX information
the NIC database is imperative for compatibility between
"hosts.txt" file and the DNS. Network subcommunities which choose
maintain a separate and incompatible mapping system will have
partitioning effect on the subcommunities themselves, but also
detrimental impact on overall Internet operations. Both end-
and system and network administrators will inevitably find
devoting considerable attention to tracing inconsistency
arising from the discrepancy in mapping methods
The Internet Activities Board, recognizing the need for
interoperability and consistent naming mechanisms, and
from several years of experience with the Domain Name System,
advocating a policy that all connected components of the
community should adopt the DNS, and urges parties having policy
setting authority to adopt the same position and undertake to
deadlines for conversion to uniform use of DNS
IAB [Page 4]
RFC 1401 IAB & DISA Correspondence on DNS January 1993
1. J.B. Postel and J.K. Reynolds, Domain Requirements, RFC 920,
October 1984.
2. P.V. Mockapetris, Domain Names - Concepts and Facilities
RFC 1034, November 1987.
3. P.V. Mockapetris, Domain Names - Implementation and Specification
RFC 1035, November 1987.
4. M.K. Stahl, Domain Administrators Guide, RFC 1032, November 1987.
5. M. Lottor, Domain Administrators Operations Guide, RFC 1033,
November 1987.
6. W.D. Lazear, MILNET Name Domain Transition, RFC 1031,
November 1987.
IAB [Page 5]
RFC 1401 IAB & DISA Correspondence on DNS January 1993
2. Letter from DISA to the
16 APR 1992
Mr. Lyman
Chairman, Internet Activities
BBN
Division of Bolt Beranek and Newman, Inc
150 Cambridge Park Dr
Chambridge, MA 02140
Dear Mr. Chapin
We have received you letter concerning the adoption and use of
Domain Name System (DNS) throughout the Internet. Since the
makes significant use of the Internet, we are very concerned
issues such as the DNS that potentially affect both performance
interoperability. We have agreed to staff this issue to consider
the technical and economical impacts on DoD systems. We will
you of the decisions reached as the result of our reviews as son
they are completed
Sincerely
Kenneth A.
Colonel,
Chairman, Protocol
Steering Group (PSSG
Copy to
Mr. Pasquariello, Associate Director, Center for
Mr. Schonborn, Deputy Director/DDN
IAB [Page 6]
RFC 1401 IAB & DISA Correspondence on DNS January 1993
3. Letter from the IAB to
19 May, 1992
Colonel Kenneth
Chairman, Protocol Standards Steering
Defense Information Systems
Fort Monmouth, NJ 07703-5613
Dear Colonel Thomas
Thank you for your response to my letter concerning the adoption
use of the Domain Name System throughout the Internet. I
your willingness to devote resources to consider this issue, and
forward to hearing the results of the study
As LCDR David Chappell has suggested, it would be useful for us
arrange a meeting to discuss issues of mutual concern to DISA and
IAB. I do not yet know if it will be feasible for me to arrange
meet with you in Ft. Monmouth in the near future (my travel
being somewhat oversubscribed), but will get in touch with you
to find a suitable date and location
Regards
A. Lyman
Chairman, Internet Activities
BBN Communications 20/5
150 Cambridge Park
Cambridge, MA 02140
IAB [Page 7]
RFC 1401 IAB & DISA Correspondence on DNS January 1993
Security
Security issues are not discussed in this memo
Author's
A. Lyman
BBN Communications
150 Cambridge Park
Cambridge, MA 02140
Phone: 617-873-3133
Fax: 617-873-4086
Email: Lyman@BBN.
IAB [Page 8]
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just be content we did not write this in Java, which would have made this "bigger and better" HAHAHHA.
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