DNS serial numbers (was: Verizon email problems)

[bscott at ntisys.com]

On 12 Nov 2003, at 1:37pm, cbrenton at chrisbrenton.org wrote:
>> Also, another tip: Instead of using a serial number of the form YYYYMMDD,
>> use YYYYMMDDNN, where "NN" gets incremented for each change that day.
> 
> Be careful with using NN instead of N. I've run into name server packages
> that only permit a nine digit serial number.

  Well, the spec says the serial number is a 32-bit unsigned integrer, so it
should be able to handle that without a problem.  Any implementation that
fails to handle a 10 digit number (assuming it is less then 2^32)  is
broken.  Broken implementations should be replaced with working ones.

  Granted, sometimes one must live with broken things due to external
factors, so it is good to be aware of them.  But that particular bug
certainly deserves a place in the Brain Damage Hall Of Fame.  Talk about
stupid.  If you can say, what software is it that has this problem?

-- 
Ben Scott <bscott at ntisys.com>
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