[Mimedefang] DNS and MX records

Wilco md.list at tuskor.net
Thu May 11 03:06:32 EDT 2006


David F. Skoll wrote:
> Wilco wrote:
>
>   
>> For example: during the registration process IDNL (the Dutch .nl
>> registry) will check for valid MX's; if these don't exist an error
>> message is generated.
>>     
>
> Why?  I am unaware of any RFCs that require a domain to accept e-mail.
>   
I can't recall; I've always thought it to be 'good practice'... Most
domains that I know of didn't used to have A records (and still don't)
that accepted smtp.

It does however have a connection with the correctness of the whois.
IDNL expects to be able to reach a registrant/domain holder, and
rightfully so, as I expect the same.

> Does the Dutch registry periodically recheck?
There has been some debate on that a few years back, at the moment I'm
really not sure...

> I would think that accurate WHOIS information would be sufficient.
>   
I agree that Whois is supposed to be sufficient, but due to:
1 - laziness
2 - large administrative overhead (for .nl at least)
3 - and automated systems

a lot of whois data is not correct; although it should not be, it is
either automatically (3) generated at register-time (due to 2) or not
updated afterwards (due to 1); I see that a lot...


(being a relatively small registrar I have to admit: the amount of
legitimate email coming in on all those postmaster aliases does approach
zero; the last contact I have had with a non-customer about an old
domainame has been by phone and that was at least six months ago...)


Regards,
Wilco





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