Dear all,
Today, I released a new version of the draft:
https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-yocto-dns-relative-label-01.
I tried to clarify things a little bit more, added some examples and
fixed some references.
Ben
Ben van Hartingsveldt schreef op 2024-07-21 18:50:
Dear all,
In the recent years I started working on my own coded DNS server,
because I was done with the synchronization between BIND and
DirectAdmin that broke all the time. It resulted in a Java server that
is running on 4 IPs for some years now. Because of this, I had to read
many RFCs to have it pass tests like Zonemaster, DNSViz, IntoDNS, etc.
While reading and implementing things, I also came across some
shortcomings of DNS. On advice of someone at SIDN, I will share my
draft that I published today. It solves one of the shortcomings that
DNS has in its core: relative domain names.
I'm talking about
https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-yocto-dns-relative-label-00.
This draft is meant to solve the problem that we cannot use relative
domain names in the DNS system, specificly in DNS UPDATE and in binary
zone files. This also means that this draft is not meant for use with
the QUERY opcode (except for possibly AXFR and IXFR). Let me explain
those two usecases.
1) DNS UPDATE: In DNS UPDATE it is possible to update the zone using
DNS itself. This can be used in routers when dynamic DNS is wanted, but
also in other situations. Imagine wanting to add an MX record. Using a
webinterface, you are likely able to chooses one of the following four
options:
- mail IN MX 10 mx
- mail IN MX 10 mx.example.com.
- mail.example.com. IN MX 10 mx
- mail.example.com. IN MX 10 mx.example.com.
However, using DNS UPDATE you are only able to add the record with
fourth format; both record name and FQDN field have to be absolute.
This means that when I return to the webinterface, I will likely see
absolute domain names, even when I use relative domain names in my
other records. My draft wants to give the client more control over when
to use relative and when to use absolute domain names by adding a new
label type.
2) Binary Zone Files: Since BIND 9, it is possible to save zones in a
binary format. This is possible to enable/disable using
`masterfile-format`. It is possible to convert the textual format to
binary and vice versa. However, when converting to binary, the zone
file will loose the knowledge of knowing which domain names where
absolute and which where relative. This means that converting the zone
back from binary to text will likely give you a zone with only absolute
domain names. As with DNS UPDATE, this is a shortcoming of the wire
format used by DNS.
That is why I wrote this draft. Like BIND, my own DNS system also uses
binary zone storage and in the future I'm planning to implement DNS
UPDATE too. I also believe my draft is not yet perfect. I'm not a
native English speaker and maybe just format to mention something
important. That is why I want you to give your honest opinion on this
topic. Do you agree with the problem? Does DNS need such label? Did I
make a typo? Etc.
Please let me know.
Thanks in advance
Ben van Hartingsveldt
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