Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!natinst!brian
From: brian@natinst.com (Brian H. Powell)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip.domains
Subject: hostname == domainname
Message-ID: <24652@natinst.natinst.com>
Date: 18 Jun 91 16:02:05 GMT
Organization: National Instruments, Austin, TX
Lines: 23


     I run a UUCP site called "natinst".  We registered a domain (a long
time ago) and have since sent out mail with return address "user@natinst.com".
When we get them here via UUCP, our canonical hostname (from /etc/hosts) is
"natinst.com", so it's no problem to route the mail to the proper destination.
     Now, we're going to be joining the internet.  I created a BIND database
for the "natinst.com" domain to test things out.  There's not a way, in
this database, to declare "natinst.com" (or rather "natinst.com.") as a host.
This makes sense; the host "natinst" should be declared in the ".com" database.
To do this is philosophically illegal, no?  (I.e., have a host right under a
top-level domain.)
     As I see it, I have no recourse but to change our canonical hostname
to "natinst.natinst.com" (actually anything.natinst.com, except that to
avoid the UUCP name change, use "natinst").  I still plan to have outgoing
mail show "user@natinst.com", and accept incoming mail for "user@natinst.com".
     This change seems like the "right" thing to do.  Any comments as to the
correctness of this, and of alternatives?
     Thanks.

Brian H. Powell, M/S 56-14			National Instruments Corp.
	brian@natinst.com			6504 Bridge Point Parkway
	uunet!cs.utexas.edu!natinst!brian	Austin, Texas 78730-5039
	AppleLink:NATINST			(512) 338-9119