RFC 2317 Aliases in addr.arpa zone pointing to PTR records, was [Re: Simple Delegation Question]

[birgitt]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Jim Reid <jim at rfc1035.com>
To: birgitt <birgitt at cais.com>
Cc: <comp-protocols-dns-bind at moderators.isc.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2000 9:50 PM
Subject: Re: RFC 2317 Aliases in addr.arpa zone pointing to PTR records, was [Re: Simple Delegation Question] 


> >>>>> "birgitt" == birgitt  <birgitt at cais.com> writes:
> 
>     birgitt> My ISP doesn't want to use the method described in
>     birgitt> RFC2317 to delegate me management of my /27 sub-C-class
>     birgitt> IP range on my own primary name server.
> 
>     birgitt> They want me to write out an in-addr.arpa zone file for
>     birgitt> the _complete_ class C and then they want to redelegate
>     birgitt> my sub IP range back to me.
> 
> Consider taking your business elsewhere. Your ISP's apparent lack of
> clue is very disturbing. They seem to want you - the customer! - to
> take ownership of one of their reverse zones, set it up for them and
> then give it back to them so they can hand out some of its address
> range back to you. I see. What "service" does this ISP actually
> provide? Do they pay their customers to do the work that they're
> supposed to do as an ISP? Or do you pay them to do their job for
> them? [Nice business model, that!] If your ISP is too clueless or lazy
> to correctly set up reverse zone DNS - with or without RFC2317-style
> delegation - they don't deserve to stay in business. Find another ISP
> and let Darwinism take its course.
> 
>    birgitt> But does their suggestion work ?
> 
> It depends on your definition of "work". It sure works for the ISP.
> After all, you're the sucker who does most of the actual work. It
> looks like they don't have the DNS skills to do that job for
> themselves. If you do that work it'll be messy. [You set up a zone
> file and configure your name server. They fiddle with it. Then you do
> something else to whatever they've fiddled with. And hope nothing
> breaks at each point along that chain.] It also relies on them
> trusting you to set up that reverse zone properly. This does not
> inspire confidence as you appear to have a greater understanding of
> the DNS than your ISP. Would you fly with an airline where you knew
> more about flying than the pilots?
> 
> 

Well, actually I am very new to this and I only got the SDSL sub-C-class
IP chunk, because I wanted to learn how to set up a home based mini 
ISP with three PCs. It took me some time to read through the first
chapters of O'Reilly"s book.,  this list, plus the HOW-TOs and the RFC,
and I got some very  kind help and explanations for some very stupid 
confusion about a simple thing from one person on another list. I didn't 
feel I could ague  with my ISP and I will see what they come up with as an answer.. 

I thought that what my ISP proposed as the solution wouldn't really work,
because I  wouldn't know how to follow through checking all the records
for the PTR records outside my IP range regularly. But I was not sure about
myself being right though I saw the problems you described.

Thanks for you answer,  it gave me back a little confidence. 8-)

Birgitt