newbie question

[Barry Margolin]

In article <394EB5DA.7ACFA8F at daimlerchrysler.com>,
Kevin Darcy  <kcd at daimlerchrysler.com> wrote:
>NOSPAM.michel.marcon at vnumail.com wrote:
>
>> Hi (surprised...)
>>
>> On 16 Jun 2000 13:34:53 -0700, Barry Margolin <barmar at genuity.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >In article <394A5F3F.83BF2069 at daimlerchrysler.com>,
>> >Kevin Darcy  <kcd at daimlerchrysler.com> wrote:
>> >>This is not a nameserver function, it's a resolver configuration function.
>> >>It can be done in the resolver configuration using a default domain or a
>> >>"searchlist", but my personal recommendation is to nip this thing in the
>> >>bud as early as possible: get your users into the habit of using
>> >>fully-qualified names. Otherwise, they'll very likely get confused over
>> >>the "inconsistency" of being able to use short names for some hosts and
>> >>protocols, but having to use fully-qualified names for others, e.g. for
>> >>email to other companies. Also, any kind of resolver "searching" or
>> >>"matching" algorithm tends to generate lots of bogus queries and thus
>> >>waste valuable DNS infrastructure resources.
>> >
>> >I've never been anywhere that didn't configure their machines so you could
>> >use unqualified names for hosts on the local network.  I don't think anyone
>> >is confused by it, any more than they're confused about not having to dial
>> >the local area code on the phone.
>
>> OK Barry. But what about the use of the 'search' directive
>inresolv.conf ? Isn't
>> it made exactly for this type of user-behavior ?
>
>Yes it was. And I think it was a poor design choice. Care to take a guess at how
>many wasted queries a day my servers receive because of searchlists *despite* my
>having done everything possible to discourage their use?

Not enough to make a dent in any nameserver's performance.

Some organizations have long domain names (public schools in the US come to
mind: their domains are of the form <school>.k12.<state>.<us>), and I think
their users appreciate not having to type those suffixes all the time.

-- 
Barry Margolin, barmar at genuity.net
Genuity, Burlington, MA
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