DNS Trends

We used to think of computer networks as being constructed using two fundamental common infrastructure components: names and addresses. Every connected device had a stable protocol address to allow all other devices to initiate a communication transaction with this device by addressing a data packet too this protocol address. And…


Securing Routing Q&A’s

Over the past few months I’ve had the opportunity at various network operator meetings to talk about BGP routing security and also highlight a measurement page we’ve set up that measures the extent to which Route Origin Validation (RoV) is actually “protecting” users (https://stats.labs.apnic.net/rpki). By this I mean we’re measuring…


Going Postal

When a service is constructed using diverse components, then the way in which service revenues are distributed to the various suppliers of the components of the service can follow a number of quite distinct models. There are various forms of revenue redistribution models where the revenue per transaction is distributed…


Scaling the Root of the DNS

The DNS is a remarkably simple system. You send it queries and you get back answers. Within the system you see exactly the same simplicity: The DNS resolver that receives your query may not know the answer, so it, in turn, will send queries deeper into the system and collects…


DNS Query Privacy Revisited

This article was first written in August 2019, and it ended with the comment: “It’s likely that we will return to this measurement of the use of Qname minimisation in a year or so to see if anything has changed from the picture today.” A year has passed and it’s…


On Cyber Governance

APAN (Asia Pacific Advanced Network) brings together national research and education networks in the Asia Pacific region. APAN holds meetings twice a year to talk about current activities in the regional NREN sector. I was invited to be on a panel at APAN 50 on the subject of Cyber Governance,…


The Making of an RFC in today’s IETF

I’m a co-author (or is that “co-editor” in today’s politically correct environment?) of an Internet Draft that is closing in for publication as an RFC. It has gone through the Full Monty of the current IETF standardization process, including the steps of document review for Working Group adoption, further cycles…


DNS OARC 32b Meeting Notes

Much the Internet operations and research world has gone virtual for 2020. Meetings continue to take place and while the level of interaction in these meetings is different, many of these meetings continue to engender useful conversations. In my case I’m interested in the infrastructure that binds the network together…


IPv6 and the DNS

These days it seems that whenever we start to talk about the DNS the conversation immediately swings around to the subject of DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and the various implications of this technology in terms of changes in the way the DNS is used. It’s true that DoH is a…


Measuring Route Origin Validation

How well are we doing with the adoption of Route Origin Validation in the Inter-Domain routing space? There have been many workshops and training sessions and much in the way of counting the generation of RPKI certificates and Route Origin Attestations in recent months. The data published by the US…