A client whose emails are being relayed through a server I maintain alerted me that he wasn’t getting any emails though. After confirming that the email server was running smoothly, I checked the name resolution for “sbcglobal.net” with nslookup. Nothing there! Several other major DNS providers with exception of OpenDNS weren’t resolving sbcglobal.net, either (perhaps OpenDNS holds the cache for longer?) Would the queries be blocked from some areas of the net (I can’t imagine why)? I tried from three major networks with the same results. Yet there’s no major outcry on the web that sbcglobal.net would not be working, and DNSStuff DNSresport doesn’t find anything majorly wrong with sbcglobal.net service (other than that there is no A record.. but my digging couldn’t find anything – not even an MX record!) Every other valid zone I try works normally at their corresponding name servers (as listed in the zone’s registrar records). Can anyone explain?
Here’s a transcript from one of the systems (others were like a mirror copy.. exactly the same results):
[Astronite:/] [14:41]# whois sbcglobal.net Whois Server Version 2.0 Domain names in the .com and .net domains can now be registered with many different competing registrars. Go to http://www.internic.net for detailed information. Domain Name: SBCGLOBAL.NET Registrar: NETWORK SOLUTIONS, LLC. Whois Server: whois.networksolutions.com Referral URL: http://www.networksolutions.com Name Server: NS1.PBI.NET Name Server: NS1.SWBELL.NET Name Server: NS2.SWBELL.NET Status: clientTransferProhibited Updated Date: 09-oct-2006 Creation Date: 27-mar-2000 Expiration Date: 27-mar-2015 >>> Last update of whois database: Sat, 27 Oct 2007 19:40:32 UTC < << [whois server legal yada-yada deleted] Visit AboutUs.org for more information about SBCGLOBAL.NET AboutUs: SBCGLOBAL.NET Registrant: SBC Internet Services, Inc. 1701 Alma dr Plano, TX 75075 US Domain Name: SBCGLOBAL.NET Administrative Contact, Technical Contact: Southwestern, Bell DNSCONTACT@att.com Southwestern Bell Internet Services 1701 Alma dr Plano, TX 75075 US 1-800-648-1626 fax: 214-473-2253 Record expires on 27-Mar-2015. Record created on 27-Mar-2000. Database last updated on 27-Oct-2007 15:41:08 EDT. Domain servers in listed order: NS1.PBI.NET 206.13.28.11 NS1.SWBELL.NET 151.164.1.1 NS2.SWBELL.NET 151.164.11.218 [Astronite:/] [14:41]# nslookup > server ns1.pbi.net Default server: ns1.pbi.net Address: 206.13.28.11#53 > sbcglobal.net Server: ns1.pbi.net Address: 206.13.28.11#53 *** Can't find sbcglobal.net: No answer > server ns1.swbell.net Default server: ns1.swbell.net Address: 151.164.1.1#53 > sbcglobal.net ;; connection timed out; no servers could be reached > server ns2.swbell.net Default server: ns2.swbell.net Address: 151.164.11.218#53 > sbcglobal.net ;; connection timed out; no servers could be reached > exit [Astronite:/] [14:42]# dig @ns1.pbi.net sbcglobal.net /all ;; Got answer: ;; ->>HEADER< <- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 2301 ;; flags: qr aa rd; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 1, ADDITIONAL: 0 ;; WARNING: recursion requested but not available ;; QUESTION SECTION: ;sbcglobal.net. IN A ;; AUTHORITY SECTION: sbcglobal.net. 7200 IN SOA ns1.swbell.net. postmaster.swbell.net. 2007102500 7200 900 604800 7200 ;; Query time: 182 msec ;; SERVER: 206.13.28.11#53(206.13.28.11) ;; WHEN: Sat Oct 27 14:42:37 2007 ;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 89 ; <<>> DiG 9.4.1-P1 < <>> @ns1.pbi.net sbcglobal.net /all ; (1 server found) ;; global options: printcmd ;; Got answer: ;; ->>HEADER< <- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 64773 ;; flags: qr rd; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 13, ADDITIONAL: 13 ;; WARNING: recursion requested but not available ;; QUESTION SECTION: ;/all. IN A ;; AUTHORITY SECTION: . 386954 IN NS B.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 386954 IN NS C.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 386954 IN NS D.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 386954 IN NS E.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 386954 IN NS F.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 386954 IN NS G.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 386954 IN NS H.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 386954 IN NS I.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 386954 IN NS J.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 386954 IN NS K.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 386954 IN NS L.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 386954 IN NS M.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 386954 IN NS A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. ;; ADDITIONAL SECTION: B.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 473354 IN A 192.228.79.201 C.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 473354 IN A 192.33.4.12 D.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 473354 IN A 128.8.10.90 E.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 473354 IN A 192.203.230.10 F.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 473354 IN A 192.5.5.241 G.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 473354 IN A 192.112.36.4 H.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 473354 IN A 128.63.2.53 I.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 473354 IN A 192.36.148.17 J.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 473354 IN A 192.58.128.30 K.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 473354 IN A 193.0.14.129 L.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 473354 IN A 198.32.64.12 M.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 473354 IN A 202.12.27.33 A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 473354 IN A 198.41.0.4 ;; Query time: 92 msec ;; SERVER: 206.13.28.11#53(206.13.28.11) ;; WHEN: Sat Oct 27 14:42:37 2007 ;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 441 [Astronite:/] [14:42]# dig @ns1.swbell.net sbcglobal.net /all ;; connection timed out; no servers could be reached ; <<>> DiG 9.4.1-P1 < <>> @ns1.swbell.net sbcglobal.net /all ; (1 server found) ;; global options: printcmd ;; Got answer: ;; ->>HEADER< <- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 2766 ;; flags: qr rd; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 13, ADDITIONAL: 13 ;; WARNING: recursion requested but not available ;; QUESTION SECTION: ;/all. IN A ;; AUTHORITY SECTION: . 49366 IN NS a.root-servers.net. . 49366 IN NS b.root-servers.net. . 49366 IN NS c.root-servers.net. . 49366 IN NS d.root-servers.net. . 49366 IN NS e.root-servers.net. . 49366 IN NS f.root-servers.net. . 49366 IN NS g.root-servers.net. . 49366 IN NS h.root-servers.net. . 49366 IN NS i.root-servers.net. . 49366 IN NS j.root-servers.net. . 49366 IN NS k.root-servers.net. . 49366 IN NS l.root-servers.net. . 49366 IN NS m.root-servers.net. ;; ADDITIONAL SECTION: a.root-servers.net. 49366 IN A 198.41.0.4 b.root-servers.net. 49366 IN A 192.228.79.201 c.root-servers.net. 49366 IN A 192.33.4.12 d.root-servers.net. 49366 IN A 128.8.10.90 e.root-servers.net. 49366 IN A 192.203.230.10 f.root-servers.net. 49366 IN A 192.5.5.241 g.root-servers.net. 49366 IN A 192.112.36.4 h.root-servers.net. 49366 IN A 128.63.2.53 i.root-servers.net. 49366 IN A 192.36.148.17 j.root-servers.net. 49366 IN A 192.58.128.30 k.root-servers.net. 49366 IN A 193.0.14.129 l.root-servers.net. 49366 IN A 198.32.64.12 m.root-servers.net. 49366 IN A 202.12.27.33 ;; Query time: 486 msec ;; SERVER: 151.164.1.1#53(151.164.1.1) ;; WHEN: Sat Oct 27 14:43:16 2007 ;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 441 [Astronite:/] [14:43]# dig @ns2.swbell.net sbcglobal.net /all ;; connection timed out; no servers could be reached ; <<>> DiG 9.4.1-P1 < <>> @ns2.swbell.net sbcglobal.net /all ; (1 server found) ;; global options: printcmd ;; connection timed out; no servers could be reached [Astronite:/] [14:44]#
Actually, we’re just the only DNS provider that thinks it’s important to run a reliable service and drive forward innovation in the handling of DNS on the Internet.
We never hold records longer than we are supposed to, that said, we will hold them as long as you tell us to (with the TTL).
We also do other fun tricks. 🙂
I just did a “Round the World Major ISP Lookup” for sbcglobal.net, and in fact all major ISPs seem to have dropped the zone from their DNS caches by now. And still no major complaints can be seen on the web (or perhaps I’m just not looking in the right places?) It would seem that in no time they will be completely unreachable. Has sbcglobal.net domain been discontinued after AT&T transfer?? Many people (even several who I know) seem to be still using a sbcglobal.net address for their email. Odd.
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David, I’ve been very happy with OpenDNS service… keep up the good work!! 🙂