Re: [DNSOP] I-D Action: draft-ietf-dnsop-private-use-tld-00.txt

[Roy Arends <[e-mail]>]

> On 9 Oct 2020, at 10:38, Andrew McConachie <[e-mail]> wrote:
> Hi Roy and Joe,
> 
> It’s not clear to me whether the document is advising to only use this facility when a sub-domain of a public domain name is unavailable, or to optionally use this facility based on the user’s preference. What I would like the document to say is that only when a sub-domain of a public domain is unavailable should this facility be considered. The reader should get the impression that they should try really really hard to not use the ISO-3166 reserved string if they can.
> 
> This is marked as a BCP and so I would expect to see this advice prominent in the document. Since, IMO at least, that is the best current practice. Only when a user cannot use a sub-domain of a domain they control should they even consider using the ISO-3166 reserved string. Ideally there could be a new section discussing this advice between the current sections 1 and 2. That way the reader will encounter the best practice before encountering the work around.

Thanks for your comment Andrew,

The next version will contain more text directed to this.

IMHO, the mere availability of a subdomain (of an existing domain) should not automatically preclude the use of a private top-level domain. That is, I disagree with the notion that “they should try really really hard to not use the ISO-3166 reserved string”.

Note that a domain may not always be tied to the same legal entity. When software or devices are shipped with a default configuration that is meant to work only locally (there are a few scenarios that include home use or corporate use), using a public domain is problematic. Queries will leak to the authoritative servers of that public domain, long after the public domain has changed hands.

It is also not desirable from a legal and even operational standpoint if software that is shipped with a default public domain will be “phoning home” all the time.

There are likely to be many different use cases, some where a public domain is useful, some where a private-use domain is useful. 

Warm regards,

Roy