RFC 1032
Domain administrators guide
DOMAIN ADMINISTRATORS GUIDE ✨
Part 1 of 3
okay bestie, here are the deets 🎀 This is RFC 1032, written by M. Stahl of SRI International for the Network Working Group and dated November 1987. The header doesn't list a category, and it doesn't say this one obsoletes or updates anything, so there's nothing else to chase 💅
STATUS OF THIS MEMO 🌸
so this memo explains how to register a domain with the NIC (Network Information Center) of the DDN (Defense Data Network), and it gives guidelines for setting up and running a domain that follows the requirements in RFC-920. It's written for domain administrators 🦋 This memo SHOULD be used alongside RFC-920, which is an official policy statement from the Internet Activities Board (IAB) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Distribution of this memo is unlimited ✨
BACKGROUND 🧚
okay so domains are administrative entities that handle decentralized management of host naming and addressing. The domain-naming system is distributed and hierarchical, which means it's spread out and built like a tree 🌳
The NIC was designated by the Defense Communications Agency (DCA) to provide registry services for the domain-naming system on the DDN and DARPA portions of the Internet 👑
As the registrar of top-level and second-level domains, and as the administrator of the root domain name servers on behalf of DARPA and DDN, the NIC is in charge of maintaining the root server zone files and their binary equivalents. The NIC is also in charge of administering the top-level domains "ARPA," "COM," "EDU," "ORG," "GOV," and "MIL" on behalf of DCA and DARPA, until it becomes feasible for other appropriate organizations to take over those responsibilities 🫶
It is RECOMMENDED that domain administrators use the guidelines in this document when they establish and control second-level domains 💜
THE DOMAIN ADMINISTRATOR 👑
The domain administrator (DA) is a coordinator, manager, and technician all in one 💅 If the DA's domain sits at the second level or lower in the tree, the DA MUST register by working with the management of the domain directly above theirs, and make sure their domain meets all the requirements of the administration it falls under. To find out who has authority over the name space they want to join, the DA can ask the NIC Hostmaster. Contact info for the top-level and second-level domains is also in the online file NETINFO:DOMAIN-CONTACTS.TXT, which is available from the NIC through anonymous FTP 📂
The DA SHOULD be technically competent. They SHOULD understand the concepts and procedures for running a domain server, as described in RFC-1034, and make sure the service is reliable and uninterrupted. It's their responsibility, or their delegate's, to make sure the data is current at all times 🔥
As a manager, the DA MUST be able to handle complaints about the service their domain name server provides. They MUST be aware of how the hosts in their domain behave, and they need to take prompt action on reports of problems, like protocol violations or other serious misbehavior 😭 The administrator of a domain MUST be a responsible person who has the authority to either enforce these actions personally or hand them off to someone else 🙈
Name assignments within a domain are controlled by the DA, who SHOULD verify that names are unique within their domain and that they follow standard naming conventions. They give users, both inside and outside the domain, access to names and name-related information. The DA SHOULD also work closely with the people they've designated as the "technical and zone" contacts for the domain, since a lot of administrative decisions get made based on input from those people 💖
THE DOMAIN TECHNICAL AND ZONE CONTACT 🦋
A zone is made up of the contiguous parts of the domain tree that a domain server has complete information about and has authority over ✨ A domain server MAY be authoritative for more than one zone.
The domain technical/zone contact is the person who looks after the technical side of maintaining the domain's name server and resolver software, and its database files. They keep the name server running, and they work with technical people in other domains and zones to solve problems that affect their zone 🧚
Part 2 is next, so don't leave me on read 🫶
VERIFICATION OF DATA ✨
okay so checking your domain info is actually kinda fun, and there are a few ways to do it 🫶
One way is through the NIC WHOIS server. If the DA has access to WHOIS, they can type the commmand whois domain <domain name><return>. The WHOIS reply gives you the name and address of the organization "owning" the domain, the name of the domain itself, its administrative, technical, and zone contacts, and the host names and network addresses of the sites providing name service for the domain. 🔥
Example:
@whois domain rice.edu<Return>
Rice University (RICE-DOM)
Advanced Studies and Research
Houston, TX 77001
Domain Name: RICE.EDU
Administrative Contact:
Kennedy, Ken (KK28) Kennedy@LLL-CRG.ARPA (713) 527-4834
Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
Riffle, Vicky R. (VRR) rif@RICE.EDU
(713) 527-8101 ext 3844
Domain servers:
RICE.EDU 128.42.5.1
PENDRAGON.CS.PURDUE.EDU 128.10.2.5Alternatively, the DA can send an electronic mail message to SERVICE@SRI-NIC.ARPA. In the subject line of the message header, the DA should type whois domain <domain name>. The requested information comes back via electronic mail 📬 This is super convenient for sites that don't have access to the NIC WHOIS service, so it's giving "no WHOIS? no problem" energy 💅
The initial application for domain authorization should be submitted via electronic mail, if possible, to HOSTMASTER@SRI-NIC.ARPA. The questionnaire described in the appendix may be used, or a separate application can be FTPed from host SRI-NIC.ARPA. The hostmaster personnel will review the administrator's info for completeness. There will most likely be a few back-and-forth emails before the domain gets authorized, since email is the preferred method of communication 🌸
HOW TO GET MORE INFORMATION 🧚
An informational table of the top-level domains and their root servers lives in the file NETINFO:DOMAINS.TXT online at SRI-NIC.ARPA. You can get this table by FTPing the file. Or, if you'd rather skip FTP, you can open a TCP or UDP connection to the NIC Host Name Server on port 101 of SRI-NIC.ARPA and invoke the command ALL-DOM 🦋
The following online files are all available by FTP from SRI-NIC.ARPA, and they contain the pertinent domain info:
NETINFO:DOMAINS.TXT, a table of all top-level domains and the network addresses of the machines providing domain name service for them. It gets updated each time a new top-level domain is approved.NETINFO:DOMAIN-INFO.TXTcontains a concise list of all top-level and second-level domain names registered with the NIC, and it's updated monthly.NETINFO:DOMAIN-CONTACTS.TXTalso lists all the top-level and second-level domains, but it includes the administrative, technical, and zone contacts for each one too.NETINFO:DOMAIN-TEMPLATE.TXTcontains the questionnaire you fill out before registering a top-level or second-level domain.
For general or specific info on the domain system, you can do one or more of the following:
- Send electronic mail to
HOSTMASTER@SRI-NIC.ARPA - Call the toll-free NIC hotline at (800) 235-3155 📞
- Use FTP to grab background RFCs and other files maintained online at the NIC. Some pertinent RFCs are listed below in the REFERENCES section of this memo.
REFERENCES 📚
The references listed here are the important background reading on the domain-naming system, bestie 🎀 The path names of the online files available via anonymous FTP from the SRI-NIC.ARPA host are noted in brackets.
- Defense Communications Agency DDN Defense Communications System, DDN Management Bulletin No. 22, Domain Names Transition, March 1984.
[ DDN-NEWS:DDN-MGT-BULLETIN-22.TXT ] - Defense Communications Agency DDN Defense Communications System, DDN Management Bulletin No. 32, Phase I of the Domain Name Implementation, January 1987.
[ DDN-NEWS:DDN-MGT-BULLETIN-32.TXT ] - Harrenstien, K., M. Stahl, and E. Feinler, "Hostname Server", RFC-953, DDN Network Information Center, SRI International, October 1985.
[ RFC:RFC953.TXT ] - Harrenstien, K., M. Stahl, and E. Feinler, "Official DoD Internet Host Table Specification", RFC-952, DDN Network Information Center, SRI International, October 1985.
[ RFC:RFC952.TXT ] - ISO, "Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries", ISO-3166, International Standards Organization, May 1981.
[ Not online ] - Lazear, W.D., "MILNET Name Domain Transition", RFC-1031, Mitre Corporation, October 1987.
[ RDC:RFC1031.TXT ] - Lottor, M.K., "Domain Administrators Operations Guide", RFC-1033, DDN Network Information Center, SRI International, July 1987.
[ RFC:RFC1033.TXT ] - Mockapetris, P., "Domain Names - Concepts and Facilities", RFC-1034, USC Information Sciences Institute, October 1987.
[ RFC:RFC1034.TXT ] - Mockapetris, P., "Domain Names - Implementation and Specification", RFC-1035, USC Information Sciences Institute, October 1987.
[ RFC:RFC1035.TXT ] - Mockapetris, P., "The Domain Name System", Proceedings of the IFIP 6.5 Working Conference on Computer Message Services, Nottingham, England, May 1984. Also as ISI/RS-84-133, June 1984.
[ Not online ] - Mockapetris, P., J. Postel, and P. Kirton, "Name Server Design for Distributed Systems", Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Computer Communication, October 30 to November 3 1984, Sidney, Australia. Also as ISI/RS-84-132, June 1984.
[ Not online ] - Partridge, C., "Mail Routing and the Domain System", RFC-974, CSNET-CIC, BBN Laboratories, January 1986.
[ RFC:RFC974.TXT ] - Postel, J., "The Domain Names Plan and Schedule", RFC-881, USC Information Sciences Institute, November 1983.
[ RFC:RFC881.TXT ] - Reynolds, J., and Postel, J., "Assigned Numbers", RFC-1010 USC Information Sciences Institute, May 1986.
[ RFC:RFC1010.TXT ] - Romano, S., and Stahl, M., "Internet Numbers", RFC-1020, SRI, November 1987.
[ RFC:RFC1020.TXT ]
APPENDIX ✨
okay bestie, the questionnaire is up for grabs! you may FTP it from SRI-NIC.ARPA as NETINFO:DOMAIN-TEMPLATE.TXT 📄💖
To establish a domain, the following information must be sent to the NIC Domain Registrar (HOSTMASTER@SRI-NIC.ARPA):
NOTE: the key people must have electronic mailboxes and NIC "handles," which are unique NIC database identifiers 🔑. If you can get into "WHOIS," check whether you're already registered. If you are, make sure your info is current 💅. Include only your handle and whatever changes need to be made to your entry. If you don't have "WHOIS" access, give all the info asked for and a NIC handle will be assigned for you 🫶.
(1) The name of the top-level domain you're joining. For example: COM 🌸
(2) The NIC handle of the administrative head of the organization. Alternately, you can give the person's name, title, mailing address, phone number, organization, and network mailbox. This is the contact point for administrative and policy questions about the domain. For a research project, this should be the principal investigator 🧠
For example:
Administrator
Organization The NetWorthy Corporation
Name Penelope Q. Sassafrass
Title President
Mail Address The NetWorthy Corporation
4676 Andrews Way, Suite 100
Santa Clara, CA 94302-1212
Phone Number (415) 123-4567
Net Mailbox Sassafrass@ECHO.TNC.COM
NIC Handle PQS(3) The NIC handle of the technical contact for the domain. Alternately, you can give the person's name, title, mailing address, phone number, organization, and network mailbox. This is the contact point for problems concerning the domain or zone, and also for updating info about the domain or zone 🛠️
For example:
Technical and Zone Contact
Organization The NetWorthy Corporation
Name Ansel A. Aardvark
Title Executive Director
Mail Address The NetWorthy Corporation
4676 Andrews Way, Suite 100
Santa Clara, CA. 94302-1212
Phone Number (415) 123-6789
Net Mailbox Aardvark@ECHO.TNC.COM
NIC Handle AAA2(4) The name of the domain, up to 12 characters. This is the name that gets used in tables and lists that link the domain to the domain server addresses. Quick reality check: domain names can technically get super long (programmers, beware 😤), but shorter names are way easier for people to cope with 🧚
For example: TNC 🍓
(5) A description of the servers that provide the domain service for translating names to addresses for hosts in this domain, and the date they'll be operational. A good way to answer this is to say "Our server is supplied by person or company X and does whatever their standard issue server does."
For example:
Our server is a copy of the one operated by
the NIC; it will be installed and made operational on
1 November 1987.(6) Domains must provide at least two independent servers for the domain. Putting the servers in physically separate locations and on different PSNs is strongly recommended 🏰. You also need a description of the server machine and its backup, including:
(a) Hardware and software, using keywords from the Assigned Numbers RFC.
(b) Host domain name and network addresses, meaning which host is on which network for each connected network.
(c) Any domain-style nicknames. Please limit your domain-style nickname request to one 🙏
For example:
- Hardware and software
VAX-11/750 and UNIX, or
IBM-PC and MS-DOS, or
DEC-1090 and TOPS-20
- Host domain names and network addresses
BAR.FOO.COM 10.9.0.193 on ARPANET
- Domain-style nickname
BR.FOO.COM (same as BAR.FOO.COM 10.9.0.13 on ARPANET)(7) The planned mapping of names of any other network hosts, apart from the server machines, into the new domain's naming space 🗺️
For example:
BAR-FOO2.ARPA (10.8.0.193) -> FOO2.BAR.COM
BAR-FOO3.ARPA (10.7.0.193) -> FOO3.BAR.COM
BAR-FOO4.ARPA (10.6.0.193) -> FOO4.BAR.COM(8) An estimate of how many hosts will be in the domain, for:
(a) Initially (b) Within one year (c) Two years (d) Five years
For example:
(a) Initially = 50
(b) One year = 100
(c) Two years = 200
(d) Five years = 500(9) The date you expect the fully qualified domain name to become the official host name in HOSTS.TXT 📅
Please note: if changing to a fully qualified domain name (e.g., FOO.BAR.COM) causes a change in the official host name of an ARPANET or MILNET host, DCA approval must be obtained beforehand. Allow 10 working days for your requested changes to be processed ⏳
ARPANET sites should contact ARPANETMGR@DDN1.ARPA. MILNET sites should contact HOSTMASTER@SRI-NIC.ARPA, 800-235-3155, for further instructions.
(10) Please describe your organization briefly ✍️
For example:
The NetWorthy Corporation is a consulting
organization of people working with UNIX and the C language in an
electronic networking environment. It sponsors two technical
conferences annually and distributes a bimonthly newsletter.This example of a completed application corresponds to the examples found in the companion document RFC-1033, "Domain Administrators Operations Guide." 📚🎀
(1) The name of the top-level domain to join:
COM(2) The NIC handle of the administrative contact person:
NIC Handle JAKE(3) The NIC handle of the domain's technical and zone contact person:
NIC Handle DLE6(4) The name of the domain:
SRI(5) A description of the servers:
Our server is the TOPS20 server JEEVES supplied by ISI; it
will be installed and made operational on 1 July 1987.(6) A description of the server machine and its backup:
(a) Hardware and software
DEC-1090T and TOPS20
DEC-2065 and TOPS20
(b) Host domain name and network address
KL.SRI.COM 10.1.0.2 on ARPANET, 128.18.10.6 on SRINET
STRIPE.SRI.COM 10.4.0.2 on ARPANET, 128.18.10.4 on SRINET
(c) Domain-style nickname
None(7) The planned mapping of names of any other network hosts, apart from the server machines, into the new domain's naming space:
SRI-Blackjack.ARPA (128.18.2.1) -> Blackjack.SRI.COM
SRI-CSL.ARPA (192.12.33.2) -> CSL.SRI.COM(8) An estimate of the number of hosts that will be directly within this domain:
(a) Initially = 50
(b) One year = 100
(c) Two years = 200
(d) Five years = 500(9) A date when you expect the fully qualified domain name to become the official host name in HOSTS.TXT:
31 September 1987(Yep, that's exactly what the original says 👀 September only has 30 days, so keep an eye on that one 💀)
(10) Brief description of the organization:
SRI International is an independent, nonprofit, scientific
research organization. It performs basic and applied research
for government and commercial clients, and contributes to
worldwide ecomomic, scientific, industrial, and social progress
through research and related services.📦 where this page comes from
- ietf: rfc1032 1987-11
- 💖 girlified by claude-haiku-5-5 on : a language model's rewrite of the original, under its terms