Using Standard Format for DNS Requests
The IP address and domain name request should include the following information and follow a standard format (using a semicolon";" for descriptions and tabs instead of spaces in all but the first line). You can copy and paste this example into your email message to UTnic.
See Choosing a Host Name for guidelines for naming your computers. See UTnic's DNS Naming Conventions for specific requirements for name selection at the University.
$ORIGIN sub-domain-name.utexas.edu. ; Name-of-contact-person telephone office-location e-mail-address computer-name IN A net-address ; computer-location
Standard Format Example
An IP address request for each of several computers associated with the cm.utexas.edu domain at the WCH buildings might look like this:
$ORIGIN cm.utexas.edu.
; Responsible-Person 475-9400 WCH 1.114 r.person@mail.utexas.edu poblano IN A 128.83.134.? ; WCH 1.104 serrano IN A 128.83.134.? ; WCH 1.114 chile-verde IN A 128.83.134.? ; WCH 1.116
Requested Information Details
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$ORIGIN: the existing subdomain assigned or being hosting for your department.
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Name of Contact Person: usually the technical support coordinator for the department.
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Telephone: telephone number where the contact person can be located.
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Office Location: building and room number of the contact person.
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E-mail Address: email address of the contact person for verification/updates/alerts.
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Computer Name: the name you want assigned to your device (see Choosing a Host Name).
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Network Address (A): the IP address assignment or range for your area.
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Computer Location: building and room number where computer is located.
Canonical Names (CNAMEs) and Mail eXchanger (MX) Records
Besides the A (Address) resource record, there are several others. The most common ones are:
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Canonical Name (CNAME) - used for creating alias names (in place of A).
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Mail eXchanger (MX) - identifies a machine that is designated to receive email in place of another machine (in place of A).
CNAME Example: green-chile is an alias for chile-verde:
$ORIGIN cm.utexas.edu. ; Responsible-Person 475-9400 WCH 1.114 r.person@mail.utexas.edu green-chile IN CNAME chile-verde
MX Example: In the example below, poblano mail is redirected to mailhost machine (the number 10 is a preference number that allows the use and ranking of multiple mail processor machines):
poblano IN MX 10 mailhost
Using the $ORIGIN Statement
In any of the above examples, the $ORIGIN statement can be excluded if a Fully Qualified Domain Name is substituted for the computer name (e.g., poblano.cm.utexas.edu. instead of onlypoblano). The MX resource record example above can be rewritten as:
; Responsible-Person 475-9400 WCH 1.114 r.person@mail.utexas.edu poblano.cm.utexas.edu. IN MX 10 mailhost.cm.utexas.edu.
A fully qualified domain name (FQDN) is a domain name that extends all the way back to root. It must include the root "." at the end of the name to be consider a FQDN (e.g., "tn.utexas.edu." not "tn.utexas.edu"). See Understanding How Domain Names Work for more information.