Re: Root name server question

[paul@vix.com (Paul A Vixie)]

>Feb 15) such that someone with a PC (with FTP's PC/TCP software on it)
>specifying a root name server as the nameserver to use for dns lookups 
>will no longer work?  This question was from a customer of ours, we had

The root servers have never been the right place for clients to send queries.
Some root servers have been misconfigured at various times such that they
answer such queries, but by and large they run "nonrecursively", meaning that
they can only send back answers they already know -- and what your PC clients
need is a server that will go get the answer if it doesn't already know it.

Each LAN should have a nonrecursive server on it.  Usually that means every
IP subnet will have one.  These LAN servers will usually be configured to
forward queries to border servers, which are capable of contacting servers on
the Internet to get answers.  These border servers end up with very populous
caches, which cuts down on Internet DNS traffic.

ISP's ought to supply a recursive nameserver for their PPP/SLIP customers' use.
--
Paul Vixie
La Honda, CA
<paul@vix.com>
decwrl!vixie!paul