Re: [cobalt-users] RE: Advantage of Running DNS on RAQ4i

[jens@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Jens Kristian Søgaard)]

Brian Coughter <brianc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

> There is a definite advantage to running your own DNS server on your RAQ.

I disagree completely. If you do not know about DNS, it is _much_
better to let another firm run your dns (they usually have more
expertise, and will make it work more smoothly - especially when you
move sites or change ip's).

If you however have the necessary dns knowledge yourself, or need to
perform dns changes very often, it would be better to host it
yourself.

Remember however, that to host DNS you need two servers, each
connected with different line providers (this is ofcourse not strictly
necessary, but this is how it's done right).

> Now, lets say you have an outside source providing you with DNS services
> that point to the IP address of your RAQ (this allows name resolution). The
> original request sent from a viewer in New York is sent to the DNS server
> (i.e. Joe Hosting in California) where it gets resolved, then the DNS server
> sends an IP address back to the viewer in New York.  From there, the
> viewer's browser requests the desired data from your RAQ in Virginia (or not
> - example only).  Your RAQ then sends the requested HTML page back to the
> Viewer's browser in New York.  Finally it's done.
> Do you see the huge path this DNS example is taking?  The longer the path

Well, this is not exactly how it happens. Most often the path taken
is:

1. User enters URL in browser.

2. The nameserver at the ISP used by the user is asked for the ip.

3. The cached ip is returned.

4. The browser asks that ip for the page.

The first time an user at a ISP wants to look at the page, the ip is
ofcourse not cached. Therefore it would need to do a lookup -- but
this would happen even if you do not host your dns on the same server
as the site.

-- 
Jens Kristian Søgaard, Mermaid Consulting I/S,
jens@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
http://www.mermaidconsulting.com/