As you will all realise, we are investigating the DNS problems that
occurred this morning. Our investigations are continuing but as far as
we can ascertain right now, this is what happened.

 

* At 7am Melbourne IT generated an incomplete com.au zone file (it was

  missing lots of domains), with a version serial number of 2002031407.

* This com.au zone was transferred by box2.aunic.net from Melb IT.

* The com.au zone was then transferred by all the com.au DNS
secondaries.

* Later at 8am and 9am, later versions of the com.au zone file were

  generated at Melbourne IT, superseding the problematic incomplete

  2002031407 version of com.au.

* These later versions were picked up by box2.aunic.net and transferred

  by most com.au DNS secondaries.  Unfortunately ns.ripe.net (one of

  the com.au DNS secondaries) was not able to successfully complete

  a transfer of the 8am or 9am versions at that time.

* So ns.ripe.net continued to give out information from the incomplete

  2002031407 version of com.au, until it finally managed to transfer

  a complete (11am version) com.au zone shortly before noon (AEDT).

* So at noon all com.au DNS servers were giving out correct com.au

  information (the 2002031411 version of com.au).

* It is possible some other DNS servers around the world would have

  cached negative answers (no such domain) for up to 3 hours, if

  they were given the incorrect negative answers by ns.ripe.net

  before noon.  At worst case, this would have stopped by 3pm.

 

More information if or when it comes to hand.

 

Regards,

 

Chris Disspain

CEO - auDA

ceo§auda.org.au

www.auda.org.au