On Sun, Jul 18, 1999 at 12:27:10AM +0200, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> I'm not sure it's quite that easy. On the other hand, I must admit to
> being somewhat puzzled by Kent Crispin's statement.
>
> AFAIK all the root servers run recent versions of BIND. There's a clear
> statement on the ISC web page (http://www.isc.org/view.cgi?y2k.phtml)
> about y2k. Likewise, I would assume that all the root server operators
> have looked up the y2k compliance statements from their respective
> operating system vendors, and installed the necessary upgrades/patches.
That's precisely the issue, isn't it? Have they actually done that?
How do you know? Who certifies that it's been done?
> Thus I believe that "Making sure that the root server system doesn't
> collapse because of Y2K" needs further explanation if it I'm going to
> believe that ICANN is really doing something of importance here.
"Something of importance" is rather relative. One doesn't normally
think of disposing of trash as "something of importance", but if you
don't do it, people will notice.
Prior to ICANN's committee working on this there was no coordinated
effort (to my knowledge) to be sure that the root server operators
did due diligence on this matter. One expects that they would, but,
in truth, Y2K compliance testing is mind-numbing boring drudge work (I
sit on a Y2K compliance testing committee for a large organization,
and speak from personal experience in the matter), and it will fall
through the cracks if given the slightest opportunity.
I can, to pick an example fresh in my mind, go to Network Associates
web site and find a statement of Y2K compliance for Gauntlet. Where
do I go to find such information for the root server system? And how
is it verified? What testing has actually been done?
Perhaps my phrasing over-dramatized the committee's work -- but it
was directly addressing the issue of stability of the Internet. And
(once again I speak from personal experience) the USG in general
is taking Y2K very seriously, and hence, I presume, NTIA is going to
make this a high priority.
--
Kent Crispin "Do good, and you'll be
[EMAIL PROTECTED] lonesome." -- Mark Twain
