Re: [cobalt-users] CNAME problems

[Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dan Kriwitsky wrote:

> I usually use an A record instead to point a domain at another site.

It really doesn't matter, Dan, how you convert the domain name into an
IP#; you can do it in one step with an A record or two with a CNAME
record; see my previous answer for reasons to use both/either.

> Then you can put that domain into an include file in the httpd.conf file
> to point the domain to either the same site or to a sub-directory.
> Search the archives for: include.conf.

I don't think T Rex told us what he was pointing to...

> If the site you're pointing to is on a unique IP, then you shouldn't
> need the httpd.conf changes.

But the easy way to handle it for most sites is just to set the
ServerAlias, which you can do from the RaQ gui; again see my explanation
in my previous answer.

You can even point two or more domains to the same "site" and deliver
completely different websites depending on which domain the user typed
into the URL; you can use perl or php to read the site-headers and
create a site on the fly accordingly.  Mind you, I can't; I'm just not
skilled enough, but it's certainly doable <smile>.

> The RaQs are known to handle CNAME a little differently

I really don't think so.  I've never seen proof of that, and don't see
how, since a CNAME record is a CNAME record is a CNAME record, and the
user's machine sees only the return of the CNAME record, not even the
kind of machine serving it.

> and it has caused some mail problems for people.

That's an artifact of how the internet works; it has nothing to do with
the RaQ.  You should NEVER use a CNAME as a target of an MX record; I
believe that's what you're referring to.  But that's NOT RaQ specific. 
That's Internet wide <wry grin>.

Jeff
-- 
Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Linux and Cobalt/Sun/RaQ Consulting
nobaloney.net
P. O. Box 52672, Riverside, CA  92517
voice: (909) 778-9980  *  fax: (702) 548-9484