WHOIS host records and ip addresses

[Cole Tuininga]

On 08/12/2010 08:42 PM, Tom Metro wrote:
> Instead I think you're looking for information on your "glue records:"
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_Name_System#Circular_dependencies_and_glue_records
>
> See this thread for a discussion on how to view them:
> http://serverfault.com/questions/142344/how-to-test-dns-glue-record

(sorry, I meant to chime in on this yesterday, but completely forgot as 
I ran my first ever 5k last night *grin*)

You're spot on, Tom.

The first thing to understand is that "whois" is not involved in the 
name resolution process at all.  As near as I've been able to tell, 
there's little to know actual standards to what format (or even what 
information) goes into a whois database.  That exists simply as a 
convenience for humans.  In fact, you have no guarantee that what shows 
up in the whois database is in any way accurate, or the same as data 
what will show up when you actually perform a query.

As Tom mentioned, what you're really looking for are glue records.  In 
short, when a nameserver's fqdn lives in the same zone as one it is 
authoritative for, there needs to be some way to for the name resolution 
process to be able to figure out what IP the nameserver lives at 
(obviously).  But because one would theoretically need to be able to 
resolve the zone in order to figure it out, you have a bit of a catch 22.

The solution is glue records.  Glue records are just a fancy name for 
when "A" records are pushed up a level from the zone, to the parent 
zone.  Be thankful the registrar will take care of this for you, it can 
be a bit of a PITA to do.  :)

-- 
Cole Tuininga
Lead Developer
colet-KCgK2vT7wad/90uGnh1m2w at public.gmane.org