Question re: domain NS records

[Kevin Darcy]

Jeff Lasman wrote:

>On Friday 02 January 2004 12:06 pm, Mike Voss wrote:
>
>  
>
>>If I want to change the IP of one of my nameservers, when I update it
>>in my domain, will it automatically be picked up by all domains using
>>it, or would each domain have to be individually modified ?  I know
>>when you register a domain you have to enter both name and IP for
>>each nameserver, so I'm wondering if either gets dynamically updated
>>or if they are forever static in the record until modified.
>>    
>>
>
>Many registrars ask for the IP#, and save it in their database, but in 
>fact the nameservers assigned to a domain for resolution are tracked by 
>fqdn only; only the fqdn of the assigned nameserver gets set, and later 
>perhaps updated, in the DNS top-level servers.
>
>So all you need to do is update your "host records" with the registrar 
>for the domain hosting your nameservers.
>
>We oldtimers have been spoiled because the original whois database, now 
>maintained by Network Solutions, is a relational database, and whenever 
>the IP# was changed it showed up in all the whois records for all the 
>domains using that host.
>
>(There was a time when you could look up data in other tables, such as 
>the host table, using whois commands, but I believe Network Solutions 
>has removed that functionality.)
>
>Most other registrars copied the output style, but in a flat database, 
>so whatever IP# you entered the first time appears forever, though it's 
>not used for anything; not even from the first day.
>
>Some registrars, knowing the IP# isn't needed, don't even ask for it, 
>which, imho is better than using a misleading flat file database but 
>not as good as using a relational database that will always show the 
>correct information.
>  
>
I find your answer a little confusing/misleading. You seem to be 
implying that registrars don't need to know the IP addresses of 
delegated nameservers, when in fact they do -- absolutely, in the 
special case where a "glue" A record is required, and practically 
speaking, you might as well always ask for it since novice users will 
most likely be confused by this special case.

The simple answers to the original poster's questions are:

Yes, you need to update the "host" record with your registrar, but

No, you don't need to do this for *every* domain, since "host" records 
are logically in a different table/database than domain-registration 
records.

                                                                         
                                 - Kevin