[linux-help] Re: private network domain names

["Dale W Hodge" <dwh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: linux-help-bounce@xxxxxxxxx [mailto:linux-help-bounce@xxxxxxxxx]On
> Behalf Of John Goerzen
> Sent: Friday, May 02, 2003 12:32 PM
> To: linux-help@xxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [linux-help] Re: private network domain names
>
>
> On Fri, May 02, 2003 at 12:26:30PM -0500, Dale W Hodge wrote:
> > All you can be sure of is what ICANN/IANA has currently assigned.
> > http://www.icann.org/tlds/ There is nothing that says any TLD (top level
> > domain) can't become active at any time.  My guess for safe
> bets would be
> > .local or .home  I would also guess that .<'lastname'> would be
> safe for the
> > forseable future.
>
> However, there are domains that are guaranteed to never be assigned.
> example.com is one such.

Okay, I missed that the first time.  Here's a relevant url:
http://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2606.txt


There is a need for top level domain (TLD) names that can be used for
   creating names which, without fear of conflicts with current or
   future actual TLD names in the global DNS, can be used for private
   testing of existing DNS related code, examples in documentation, DNS
   related experimentation, invalid DNS names, or other similar uses.

   For example, without guidance, a site might set up some local
   additional unused top level domains for testing of its local DNS code
   and configuration. Later, these TLDs might come into actual use on
   the global Internet.  As a result, local attempts to reference the
   real data in these zones could be thwarted by the local test
   versions.  Or test or example code might be written that accesses a
   TLD that is in use with the thought that the test code would only be
   run in a restricted testbed net or the example never actually run.
   Later, the test code could escape from the testbed or the example be
   actually coded and run on the Internet. Depending on the nature of
   the test or example, it might be best for it to be referencing a TLD
   permanently reserved for such purposes.

   To safely satisfy these needs, four domain names are reserved as
   listed and described below.

                   .test
                .example
                .invalid
              .localhost

      ".test" is recommended for use in testing of current or new DNS
      related code.

      ".example" is recommended for use in documentation or as examples.

      ".invalid" is intended for use in online construction of domain
      names that are sure to be invalid and which it is obvious at a
      glance are invalid.

      The ".localhost" TLD has traditionally been statically defined in
      host DNS implementations as having an A record pointing to the
      loop back IP address and is reserved for such use.  Any other use
      would conflict with widely deployed code which assumes this use.

------------

--dwh

---
Dale W Hodge - dwh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Vice Chairman & Secretary - info@xxxxxxxxx
Air Capital Linux User's Group  (ACLUG)
www.aclug.org
---



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