[ga] Re: Re: "Alternative roots": a big technical failure

[Stephane Bortzmeyer <bortzmeyer@xxxxxx>]

On Sun, Mar 07, 2004 at 09:47:20AM -0800,
 Karl Auerbach <karl@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote 
 a message of 36 lines which said:

> ORSN doesn't support the expanded set of TLDs, it is effectively a
> mirror of the ICANN/NTIA root zone.  This is fine for most folks.

Yes, most users want consistency (what is your root? FooRoot? In that
case, mail me at bortzmeyer@xxxxxxxxxxx, otherwise mail me at
bortzmeyer@xxxxxxxxxxx).

If ORSN started to add TLD (like ORSC does), the same problems would
surface: which to add? Which ".biz", ICANN or the other one? Which
".home"? New.net or the other one? Etc.

> > 2) A public monitoring system (something that is also missing in
> ICANN/USG,
> 
> I proposed a DNS root monitoring system to ICANN on my very first day on
> the board way back in year 2000.  The response was nil, i.e. no interest
> was expressed either by the board as a body, board members as individuals,
> or ICANN's "staff".  ICANN's institutional lack of interest in having
> means to ascertain whether the DNS is operating well or failing was quite
> clearly expressed.

I agree 100 % with the diagnostic (the majority of TLD in ICANN/USG
root is broken, see <URL:http://www.generic-nic.net/dyn/mon/> but do
note it is the same problem with OSRC).

But I may disagree with the solution. You seem to suggest that ICANN
should do this monitoring. Why not a grass-root monitoring, performed
by users themselves, through the cooperation of sensors everywhere in
the Internet? Several commercial companies offer such a service but
the cooperation of Internet users could do the same and create a
"grid" of monitoring (not only the DNS).

I have curently no time to elaborate on this idea so if someone  has
time and lacks a good project, feel free to use mine gratis :-)