IPv6 DNS Config Strategies

[Cutler James R]

On Sep 19, 2012, at 9:47 PM, Tim Densmore <tdensmore at tarpit.cybermesa.com> wrote:
> On 09/19/2012 06:40 PM, Cutler James R wrote:
>> Tim,
>> 
>> Some old hands at naming and addressing management would suggest organizing A/AAAA zones based on naming authority and natural breaks in the DNS tree.  Then create PTR zones with whatever automated process fits your business.  Worrying about some poor human and string lengths is counter-productive.
>> 
>> As Norbert Weiner would, consider the "Human Use of Human Beings". In other words, create zones to follow the business requirements for management of naming, including delegation of authority as required, and let automation satisfy any PTR requirements.
>> 
>> James R. Cutler
>> james.cutler at consultant.com
> 
> Hi James,
> 
> Thanks for your response!  I think that's probably the crux of it - I should find something that automates the creation of records and get it in place. Without getting into the ugly details, we're a small ISP/CLEC, and so far, for v4, I've used simple scripts with for loops to create templates and filled in everything that needed unique entries by hand.  All additional changes have been made by hand my a very small handful of people.  Even scarier?  I hand SWIPed our entire IPv4 space a couple years ago.  TBH, I probably have a few dozen hosts that need A records and reverses to begin with, so maybe I'll get that done by hand, and then start looking for automation tools.  Do you have any FOSS recommendations?
> 
> Sorry if this is a really stupid subject.
> 
> TD

Tim,

It is absolutely not a stupid question.  The issues of naming and addressing management are most often ignored in discussions of network management.  Compared to meeting the business requirements for this, BGP is easy.

Naming issues for IPv6 are no different than for IPv4. IPv6 makes address management easier because you need only assign down to subnets, leaving host addressing as a local issue.  Forward DNS is essentially the same only with additional address (AAAA) records. Only PTR records get complicated if you need to delegate authority for those.  SWIP effort is essentially the same - submit the largest aggregates for each distinct "user".  I'm no help for FOSS.