Significance of @ symbol in soa record.

[Mark_Andrews at isc.org]

> 
> colors wrote:
> 
> > I am trying to learn about the significance of the '@' symbol at the start
> > of the line where the soa record is contained.
> >
> > Upon looking for examples and explanation, I have found two conventions:
> >
> > The @ symbol
> > The domain name (for example, domain.com.)
> >
> > The references using the domain name seem to be older examples, whereas the
> > @ symbol I seem to be finding in newer examples.
> >
> > I am also wondering why one might want to have a ttl for a zone's soa recor
> d
> > set at 60 seconds..?
> 
> @ is just shorthand for the zone origin. Semantically, they're the same thing
> .

	@ is short hand for the *current* origin.  The origin is initialised
	to the name of the zone but can be changed via $ORIGIN.  It is also
	reset when returning from a $INCLUDE.
	
	Mark
> 
> 
> - Kevin
> 
> 
> 
--
Mark Andrews, Internet Software Consortium
1 Seymour St., Dundas Valley, NSW 2117, Australia
PHONE: +61 2 9871 4742                 INTERNET: Mark.Andrews at isc.org