[ntp:questions] Best practice: re-resolve server IP address before each poll/query
Bruce Thompson
drllama at otherother.com
Sat Jun 23 00:57:22 UTC 2007
Rod Dorman wrote:
> In article <obbtk4-h18.ln1 at www.otherother.com>,
> Bruce Thompson <drllama at otherother.com> wrote:
>> ...
>> There is definitely a problem with the DNS lookup, and with the issue of
>> "load balancing" and statistics management, what about servers that are
>> sitting on dynamic IP addresses?
>
> A server with a dynamic IP address is an oxymoron.
>
While true, there are an awful lot of systems out there with a permanent
"presence" due to DynamicDNS and the like. Many of these machines are
being run by technically savvy individuals who host their own domains
but are unable to have a static address or colo due to either financial
constraints, or availability of reasonably priced static ISP service.
To turn one's nose up at these systems is to ignore a community that
could be tapped to help spread the load.
I'm a perfect case in point. I could colo my server, but it's not worth
the additional expense. If I did not have a static address available to
me I'd be using one of the DynamicDNS services. I'm hardly a neophyte,
having been running Linux since the early 0.99 days and making my living
doing development on FreeBSD based systems. I find it gratifying to know
that it is still feasible for motivated and savvy individuals to provide
network services that help the Internet as a whole, that the net hasn't
been completely taken over by the Big Boys(tm).
I think the net as a whole benefits from every time we come up with a
way to reduce the barrier to entry rather than increasing it. If there's
a feasible way for hosts with dynamic IP addresses to act as NTP servers
then why not encourage that?
Cheers,
Bruce.
More information about the questions
mailing list