DNS is perhaps one of the most frustrating aspects of web hosting services. It regularly confuses all parties associated in the process: domain owners, network administrators and registrar support departments.  Those with shell access in a current Linux/Unix environment will have access to the dns lookup utility dig.

Lets take a look at a basic query:

dig @ns1.networkredux.net www.networkredux.com A

; <<>> DiG 9.2.4 <<>> @ns1.networkredux.net www.networkredux.com A
;; global options: printcmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 1512
;; flags: qr aa rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 2, AUTHORITY: 2, ADDITIONAL: 2

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;www.networkredux.com. IN A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
www.networkredux.com. 14400 IN CNAME networkredux.com.
networkredux.com. 14400 IN A 64.128.80.5

;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
networkredux.com. 14400 IN NS ns1.networkredux.net.
networkredux.com. 14400 IN NS ns2.networkredux.net.

;; ADDITIONAL SECTION:
ns1.networkredux.net. 14400 IN A 64.128.80.100
ns2.networkredux.net. 14400 IN A 64.128.82.100

;; Query time: 20 msec
;; SERVER: 64.128.80.100#53(ns1.networkredux.net)
;; WHEN: Mon May 29 23:03:26 2006
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 152

—

Our query is broken down as follows:

dig @ns1.networkredux.net — indicates we are directly querying the ns1.networkredux.net nameserver for results.

www.networkredux.com A — indicates the hostname we want information on, and A indicates that we want A records associate with this hostname.

—

Now the results:

;; ANSWER SECTION:
www.networkredux.com. 14400 IN CNAME networkredux.com.
networkredux.com. 14400 IN A 64.128.80.5

This indicates that our question (www.networkredux.com) is a pointed CNAME record to networkredux.com. In turn, dig recursively determines the A record for networkredux.com to be 64.128.80.5.

14400 — This references the maximum time to live for this resource record in the zone file. Technically caching DNS servers (such as your ISP’s) should only cache this record for 4 hours.

The authority section references the authoritative nameservers listed for this domain in the zone file.

Ultimately the dig utility can be used to directly query nameservers for immediate answers, bypassing any irregular caching or latency issues you may be experiencing with your Internet Service Provider. If your web host tells you that the zone is correct within their nameservers, dig will be the recommended tool for verification.

For full details on this tool I would recommend the dig man pages. For additional resources on DNS/BIND I would recommend O’Reilley’s “DNS and BIND Fourth Addition.”

Interesting traffic figures for April 2006 for http://www.networkredux.com –

Firefox:  48.7%

IE:  33.4%

Safari: 8.4%

We clearly have a userbase with a resounding admiration for the Firefox browser.  As it stands we are pushing over 50% for the month of may.

Windows holds the lead on OS figures, ~70% of browsers to our site are powered by a Microsoft OS, and ~20% are OSX.  Regardless, this is well above the worldwide averages for OSX, and brings to mind an interesting relation between web developers on linux platforms, and OSX workstations.

The ideas were floating in my head, an engaging discussion regarding my personal replacement of IM (via AdiumX) for Mail (via Apple Mail). Multiple protocols, tabbed discussions, excellent developer community, no serious spam issues as of writing this…

The topic of spam has enveloped too much attention. It no longer merits a long-winded rant premised on annoyance and unnerving despair. It is a problem, it creates an overhead for end users and IT administrators, it isn’t going away, and any Internet Service Provider that wishes to charge my organization for email delivery, or for an RBL removal isn’t getting paid. These points have been discussed into the ground so I will leave the subject alone.

I am increasingly annoyed with email, the issue of spam and a flooded inbox does not help, but the surge in feeling came to fruit when I realized that I found more enjoyment in reading the daily snail mail with a cup of coffee or canada dry, rather than opening my email box. It is difficult to imagine that the same person arguing an IM replacement for email is in turn ranting about his enjoyment with regard to waiting for delivery of the daily mail, but quite honestly one of the perks of my day is to leave the desk and see what the mailman brought. Mondays usually include the weekly Infoworld and 6 J-Crews, and the remainder of the week ranges from bills that currently do not support e-bill, or a $348,000 check… Where is the enjoyment in this? I think deep down there’s a little bit of technologically motivated resentment in all of us, by this I mean a desire to rid ourselves of the electronic 12 cylinder turbo we are in, and enjoy the utter slowness and time for reflection those in history once enjoyed.

Source: News.com
In all reality Microsoft needs to spend more time innovating and less time criticizing the innovators.

Recently an IP address on our network became listed by the SORBS (spam and open-relay blocking system), if you have ever been to the site, it has the professional demeanor of a band of 15 year olds.

Upon requesting removal for this IP address, we were encountered with their “new” deterrent mechanism:

http://www.us.sorbs.net/faq/spamdb.shtml

(read down to the section on the ‘fine’ and the ‘Joey McNicol Legal Defense Fund’

Network Redux does all within our power to prevent spam from leaving our network. As we all know, shared environments are routinely susceptible to these types of issues, and Network Redux has, and continues to devote dozens of engineering hours towards writing and implementing systems to help prevent these shared environments from falling victim to these issues.

Regardless, we consider this behavior on behalf of SORBS to have crossed the line of blackmail and extortion, and we are interested to hear your feedback on this matter.

SORBS currently offers two methods of delisting, charity donation to a children’s hospital (there’s no argument that this is a good cause), and their second choice (which the reader can interpet for themselves)…

“Payment Choice: The Joey McNicol Legal Defense Fund

Payment here is usually immediate, and delisting usually takes place within 24 hours.

Payment may be made via PayPal to: joey@vtgts.com

For those unfamiliar with PayPal:

• Go to http://www.paypal.com/
• Click the ‘Send Money’ tab.
• Create an account (if you don’t already have one)
• Make a donation of US$50 to joey@vtgts.com, stating the IP address in the information field.

Note: It is very important you list the IP address you want delisted in the information field. Without it, we will not be able to match the donation to a database entry.Note: Joey McNicol has no connection with SORBS, he has no control over who is listed or delisted. Complaining to him about an entry will not get you anywhere.”

Source: http://www.us.sorbs.net/faq/spamdb.shtml

Curious that Mr. McNicol has no connection with SORBS yet your paypal payment should be directed to his personal paypal account.