tcp-ip@ucbvax.ARPA (06/14/85)
From: Mike Muuss <mike@brl> The latest version of the host table changed the previous format of entries which were formatted like: HOST : addr : NAME.ARPA,NAME,NICNAME1 : stuff... to a new format, which seems to be roughly like: HOST : addr : NAME.ARPA,NICNAME1,...,NAME : stuff... This has caused all the mailers at BRL to behave oddly. Of course, our mail system maintainer is traveling, but as best as I can figure it, if the first and second name differ (sans any .ARPA), it chooses the SECOND name, and slaps a .ARPA onto it if needed. Lots of hosts (including the NIC) are refusing to accept mail which is addressed to them at a nicname.ARPA address (which is wierd, but not a combination in the table, so that's legit, I guess). Clearly, there are two factors here: 1) Bizarre assumptions in our mail table builder. 2) A (seemingly) unannounced table layout change at the NIC, (seemingly) without added functionality. When we transition to using our domain server full-time (hopefully around the 19th of this month), our reliance on the NIC host tables will end (and our reliance on their name server will begin). Until then, do I need to engineer a hack until Kingston returns, or can the table format revert? -Mike