[dns-operations] Advance notice - H-root address change on December 1, 2015

[Dave Warren]

On 2015-08-31 17:53, Ken Peng wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Cache only nameservers have no hints file, will they be influenced as 
> well? I saw the version is:
>
> ~# named -v
> BIND 9.8.1-P1

Do you resolve or forward queries? If you forward everything, only the 
upstream resolver needs to be updated, you have nothing more to worry about.

If you're a caching resolver without a forwarder, you need a hints 
update; if you don't have a hints file on disk then BIND is using a 
compiled-in default set of root server hints which can be updated by 
updating BIND.

Even if you have an outdated hints file (whether on disk or compiled in) 
BIND will attempt to update it from the other known root servers upon 
startup, so while an out of date hints file isn't ideal, it won't cause 
any major harm. Worst case, BIND will try to update from the outdated 
H-root IP, timeout, then hit another root and remember that updated 
hints until BIND is restarted.

While it's a good idea to get your hints updated regardless, if you 
don't have a hints file on disk anywhere then regular routine patching 
and updates should take care of it, and if you don't even do that, your 
server will still work.

(I have no recollection of which version of BIND first had compiled in 
hints)

-- 
Dave Warren
http://www.hireahit.com/
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/davejwarren