new.net: yet another dns namespace overlay play

Rodney Joffe rjoffe at centergate.com
Thu Mar 8 05:50:44 UTC 2001


Kevin Loch wrote:
> 
> Actually they are not just subdomains of new.net.
> What it looks like is an attempt to make the
> UltraDNS network the new root.
> 
> udns1.ultradns.net returns an A record for pie.shop
> just like udns1.newdotnet.net.
> 
> I suspect that all UltraDNS servers return queries
> for these alternate TLD's.
> 
> The more I look at this the more it looks like
> an good old fasioned root hijack.  The difference
> this time is they already have the network of servers,
> and they already have some ISPs lined up.
> 

Hijacking rhetoric aside ... and instead of getting into a discussion of
the individual points this thread has raised over the course of the last
two days, I can make a clear statement that answers most of them:

   *UltraDNS has no intention of running an alternative root.*

    And we are *not* currently doing so.

New.Net is a customer of the UltraDNS Managed Service and may use the
UltraDNS directory application to manage any domain it wishes.  As with
any name service, New.Net may populate authoritative servers with
arbitrary TLDs. As long as the root (".") does not resolve the TLDs,
other Internet users are not affected. It's also worth mentioning here,
in reference to the subject of "cache poisoning" that the UltraDNS
servers are *not* recursive.

UltraDNS understands that New.Net is providing a private namespace for
those service providers who choose to offer it to their customers. While
this namespace is implemented using Internet standard protocols, it is
otherwise much the same as other private naming conventions that are
offered in a similar manner, e.g. AOL Keywords or RealNames(tm). If I'm
not mistaken, I believe that NSI/Verisign are significant investors in
RealNames(tm). And I think Idealabs! was an early round investor in
RealNames(tm) as well. Small world.

Vint Cerf himself described what New.Net are doing as "a cute trick".
:-)

Hopefully this makes clear any misconceptions that have arisen from any
press releases, articles, websites, posts here and in other newsgroups,
etc. regarding UltraDNS's involvement in this initiative. If you're
still intent on chasing this down, instead of interpreting (or
mis-interpreting) feel free to contact the CEO of UltraDNS, Steve Kalman
(president at ultradns.com). He *will* engage in discussion, and even
provide answers.

-- 
Rodney Joffe
CenterGate Research Group, LLC.
http://www.centergate.com
"Technology so advanced, even we don't understand it!"(R)




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