On Thu, Aug 29, 2013 at 12:30 PM, Dan Schlitt <schlitt@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
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Website: http://hallambaker.com/
As the manager of a modestly large network I found the TXT record as a useful tool in management of the network. Such a use was even suggested by other system managers. That was a time when the Internet was a friendlier place. Today I might do things differently and not make some of the TXT records visible on the public Internet. But they would still be useful for internal management.
TXT records can be useful for ad-hoc local configs and the SPF use has made this harder. But it is hard to see how the SPF record makes that situation any better.
Probably a better solution would be to take a chunk of the reserved RR code space and stipulate that these have TXT form records so folk have 10,16 or so records for this use.
In the longer term, the problem with the SPF RR is that it is a point solution to 'fix' only one protocol. It is an MX record equivalent. Which was OK given the circumstances when it was developed.
A shift from TXT to SPF records is not likely to happen for the niche SPF spec. But may well be practical for a wider client/initiator policy spec.
We are not going to get rid of the defective US style Edison screw lightbulb socket either, certainly not for incandescents even though the Swan bayonet design is clearly superior, less risk of damage to the bulb, safer and does not come undone. But that Edison screw style will eventually disappear as installation switches to low voltage (12V) DC distribution etc.
The engineering solution to this deployment problem is to generalize the problem and use a new record for that.
Website: http://hallambaker.com/