On Wed, 28 Jan 2004, Coppola, Brian wrote: > In preparation for tomorrow morning's B-root IP change from 128.9.0.107 to > 192.228.79.201 we have posted updated root hints files. They are available > from the following URLs:
The previous change to the root hints was November 5 2002. The previous change was five years before that. The root hints changes do not require any immediate changes by most Internet users. As long as at least one of the IP addresses in your root.zone hints file responds, your name server will automatically use the current set of root name servers. Historically it has taken over 10 years to change all the IP addresses in the root hints file. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, but it is likely the root hints will continue to be very stable and change slowly. Client resolvers (i.e most Windows and other end-user machines) use either their ISP or organizations name servers. Most end-users do not need to make any changes. ISP or organization system administrators will update the main name servers for their users. Software developers and operating system vendors distributing Name Server programs will need to update the hints file included in their software distribution sometime before the last IP address in the hints file changes. Operators of resolving name servers will need to update the hints file on their systems, or it may be updated as part of the future vendor software update, sometime before the last IP address changes. Until the hints file is updated, some versions of Domain Name System software will print periodic warnings in the system log to remind the system administrator to check the hints file. Operators of "shadow" or alternative roots will need to update their configurations. Since this is more or less outside the DNS, it is up to those operators to ensure consistent operation. Network operators using "golden networks" to control route flap dampening will need to update their BGP dampening configuration for the new address and to remove the old address. Until updated, dampening may incorrectly ignore routes to the new address during periods of network instability. In practice, this is a rare occurance and the other root servers will still be configured.