Re: IETF Policy on dogfood consumption or avoidance - SMTP version

[Viktor Dukhovni <[e-mail]>]

On Thu, Dec 19, 2019 at 10:00:21AM +0100, Alessandro Vesely wrote:

> On Thu 19/Dec/2019 09:16:23 +0100 Eliot Lear wrote:
> > If you can’t manage to get a PTR into the DNS, there are a great
> > many options that include, but are not limited to using a free or
> > pay-for mail service.  You can still build your own, but you may
> > have to use a data center that agrees to update the PTR record for
> > you (this is what I have done).  A mechanism even exists to
> > accomplish this with EC2 at very nominal prices (~USD $10/month)
> 
> That's hardly acceptable.  For one point, being forced to virtualize
> the mail server, to locate it in a remote data center, or to outsource
> its service tout-court is not the kind of solution to be encouraged.
> It exacerbates the trend toward few giant email operators.

The actual reported problem does not in fact require a client MTA to
have a PTR record for its IP address, all that the client needs to do is
send a HELO name that resembles an FQDN.

Mind you an MTA that lacks a PTR for its IP address will be reject by
pretty much every peer MTA on the Internet.  The ietf.org lists would be
the least of its problems.  

Given that said PTR is published, its target may as well be the HELO
name, there's no reason to take a principled stand on one's moral right
to use an address literal, we have more important issues to consider.
Over and out.

-- 
    Viktor.