What is "@"?

[Mark_Andrews at isc.org]

> 
> Hi,
> 	I'm really new to DNS. I just started reading DNS & BIND from
> O'Reilly & in the chapter on setting up DNS, the "@" abbreviation is
> defined as, "If a domain name is the same as the origin, the name can
> be specified as "@"."
> 	Now I know what a domain name is but I really have no idea
> what this origin thingy is? Can anyone explain this to me? 
> 
> --
> John Doe.
> 

	@ default to the zone's name.
	It can be changed using the "$ORIGIN <value>" directive.
	$ORIGIN is over used.  Most zones don't require this to be
	changed.

	zone "example.com" {
		type master;
		file "example.db";
	};

	example.db:
	$TTL 3600
	@	SOA ...
		NS ...

	"@" is equivalent to "example.com.".

	Mark
--
Mark Andrews, Internet Software Consortium
1 Seymour St., Dundas Valley, NSW 2117, Australia
PHONE: +61 2 9871 4742                 INTERNET: Mark.Andrews at isc.org