On Nov 18, 2015, at 3:50 PM, Darcy Kevin (FCA) <kevin.da...@fcagroup.com> wrote:

> "Iterative" resolution means following the delegation hierarchy (by sending 
> queries with the RD flag set to 0) to get an answer; "recursive" resolution 
> means sending a query off (with the RD flag set to 1) and relying on the 
> other party to get a complete answer back to you.

[…]

> The confusion comes in when it is stated that a DNS node provides "recursive 
> service". What that means, is that, *as*a*provider*, the node receives and 
> honors recursive queries from its clients, but *as*a*consumer*, it typically 
> uses iterative resolution to get the answers. So it's essentially "recursive" 
> on one side (queries come in with RD=1), "iterative" on the other (queries go 
> out with RD=0). Once one understands the provider/consumer distinction, 
> things become a lot clearer.


Kevin,

Where do these definitions come from? I don’t use those words in quite those 
ways. I’ve thus far been unable to locate a definition of “recursive 
resolution” or “iterative resolution” in the RFCs.

In the usage I’m used to, “iterative resolution” isn’t a thing; this phrase has 
no defined meaning to me. What you’re describing here is what I’ve been calling 
“recursive resolution”, or “recursion”.

What you’re describing as “recursive resolution” is actually just a “recursive 
query” to my mind, a query asking for the server to perform the recursive 
algorithm (“RD” = “recursion desired”). Recursion, or recursive resolution, is 
the recursive algorithm that queries authoritative servers; each iteration of 
this algorithm involves sending an iterative query.

I can find references in RFC 1034 to “recursive service”, which matches up with 
my usage of the phrase “recursive resolution". I can also find “recursion”, 
again matching my usage. The phrase “iterative service” in the RFC describes 
the way a server handles a query if recursion is either not available or not 
desired.

Regards,
Chris
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