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From: salzman@rdlvax.RDL.COM (Gumby)
Newsgroups: comp.mail.misc,comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Info on IDA Sendmail kit / pathalias
Message-ID: <117@rdlvax.RDL.COM>
Date: Fri, 18-Sep-87 23:07:40 EDT
Article-I.D.: rdlvax.117
Posted: Fri Sep 18 23:07:40 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 20-Sep-87 11:06:21 EDT
Reply-To: salzman@rdlvax.RDL.COM (Gumby)
Organization: Research Development Labs, Culver City, CA.
Lines: 49
Xref: mnetor comp.mail.misc:542 comp.unix.wizards:4333


Has anyone out in netland installed the IDA sendmail enhancement kit?
I've got it running on our system, but it doesn't seem to be working
exactly as it should in terms of its use of certain DBM files. One
annoying thing is that the sendmail.cf file that it comes with insists
on tacking on .UUCP to anything with a bang path that does not have a
domain attache to it (i.e. psivax!woof will end up woof@.psivax.UUCP
according to its rewriting rules). What I end up doing is mapping
psivax.UUCP to psivax in the uucp/xtable database. The thing is, it
says as a comment in the sample uucp/xtable file that mapping .UUCP
to anything else is NOT necessary -- wrong! That's no big deal really.
What I would like it to do is DROP the .UUCP when it sees it anywhere!
What's it doing there anyway? I can hack the master config file, but
one of the nice things about the IDA kit is that you don't and shouldn't
need to hack that!

NOTE: I've tried sending mail to the author of the IDA sendmail kit
but it bounced back and said that he doesn't exist anymore. If you're
out there, please resond (please :-).

Next question. Are there any Internet sites out there using pathalias
databases to deal with their UUCP connections (in any way shape or
form)? What I have happening is the generation of long paths for
sites that may be only a hop or 2 away (with the help of the Internet).
Example: sending to weinreb@aecom.yu.edu may generate a path like
sdcrdcf!burdvax!seismo!aecom!weinreb when I know that I could just as
well address it aecom!weinreb@seismo.css.gov or weinreb%aecom@seismo.css.gov.
The thing is, how can you tell pathalias to recognize the fact that you're
on the Internet and to recognize ALL other hosts that are on the Internet
and use optimal paths based on that??!! A tall order I'm sure. I suppose
one way would be to write an awk script that uses /etc/hosts as input
and produces pathalias input. And now you've got one HUGE pathalias database
that has all the Internet hosts (registered ones -- this doesn't include
hosts accessible via the name server) and all registered UUCP hosts.
Any insight on that? Is that the way it's basically being done (if it
is at all?). One day we can maybe have a mail system that you can
address in a generic sort of manner and it will know how to get
to the destination and know how to get there the best way, without
administrative interference. Wouldn't that be nice?! :-).

Thanks in advance for any suggestions/info.....

-- 
* Isaac Salzman - Systems Analyst/Admin.                      ----     
* Research Development Labs (RDL)                            /o o/  /  
* 5721 W. Slauson Ave., Culver City, CA. 90230               | v |  |  
* AT&T: +1 213 410 1244, x118                               _|   |_/   
* ARPA: salzman@rdlvax.RDL.COM                             / |   |
* UUCP: ...!{psivax,csun,sdcrdcf,ttidca}!rdlvax!salzman    | |   |