Re: Experiments in multi-placed root servers

[hardie@equinix.com]

Bill Manning writes:
> 	Testing is a good idea.  Do you think that doing this type of testing
> 	is reasonable with a live root server?

I think whatever servers you test on have to be able to respond as if
they were a root.  To get reasonable tests, you also need a
substantial amount of pounding from a variety of places; one company
isn't going to be able to provide that with cooperation.  As I said,
we're looking for help in that; in other contexts, we've already done
replay tests from log files on a variety of systems, but that doesn't
begin to cover the full range of real-world experience.

> 	You move the servers to better places.  There is no
> 	assurence that any given technology/topology is the
> 	end-all for Internet services.

The current system already presumes that it is better to have this
information in many different places.  Server replication provides a
way to increase that diversity without increasing the number of
recognized roots.  I would certainly agree that there is no
guarantee that it, any more than any other technology and topology,
would answer all needs for all times.  It does, however, present
certain advantages to the needs of our time, by providing a method
that doesn't require we (forgive me) uproot any of the current
servers.



> 	How do you dismantle this service when it no longer fits 
> 	Internet topology or technology?  Moving a single platform
> 	is -much- easier than killing off a replicated system. 

That actually hasn't been my experience.  If you need to move a
replicated system, you grow it to the new space and let the old spaces
die when they are no longer needed.  It can, of course, be harder to
determine when a mesh of spaces is no longer needed than when a single
space is no longer needed.



> 	Current models are just that.  Remember that this was a BOF
> 	discussing root server ops.  Of course root server placement
> 	is the perview of IANA and not such an IETF venue. 

I think we still are discussing root server ops.  I'm interested in
making sure that the technology works, and I believe that this group
is an appropriate place to discuss how to to make sure of that.  If
you feel that the overlap between this group and the root server
advisory council isn't sufficient to cover the discussion, I'd be
happy to forward the emails on to Jun Murai for distribution (or you
are welcome to do so yourself).

			regards,
				Ted Hardie