DNS Question

[XxChaosxX]

last time got an application PM told us to create the hostname to IP addr mapping in each of the clients using the app.

my qn is:

1) in what situations need to do this ah? first time i install app need to do such a thing.

I asked someone before from IT he said coz the app wasn't written properly

2) can just do the mapping in the DNS server and the clients will ownself query the server boh?

 

[szeli]

just map in e dns server

 

[XxChaosxX]

just map in e dns server

Thank you.

So what caused this? I've never had to do such thing in all the other applications i'd installed. Is it really application not written properly? or is it the host name wasn't registered? or setup not done properly in the authoritative server?

 

[5star_pundit]

Mapping is setup at the firewall la

 

[davidktw]

last time got an application PM told us to create the hostname to IP addr mapping in each of the clients using the app.

my qn is:

1) in what situations need to do this ah? first time i install app need to do such a thing.

I asked someone before from IT he said coz the app wasn't written properly

2) can just do the mapping in the DNS server and the clients will ownself query the server boh?

For production level application, no such steps should be necessary. It is most likely an obsolete software that has cease support and some sort of ad-hoc server is setup to continue support it, or the client software is not a production level, perhaps beta or test version. Perhaps the entire system is non-production.

If you really need to do something like this, the best approach is overwrite the hostname resolution at the dns server. This is only effective if all the clients are within the same network or uses the same dns server or resolving the said hostname.

Such technique is employed when the operator do not own the domain name in concern. Otherwise is to simply make the changes in the host file of each individual client.

 

[XxChaosxX]

For production level application, no such steps should be necessary. It is most likely an obsolete software that has cease support and some sort of ad-hoc server is setup to continue support it, or the client software is not a production level, perhaps beta or test version. Perhaps the entire system is non-production.

it's production. quite a big name product used by a big company and still using it. that time my company was asked to set up the app in a new branch (HQ was using and still using).

If you really need to do something like this, the best approach is overwrite the hostname resolution at the dns server. This is only effective if all the clients are within the same network or uses the same dns server or resolving the said hostname.

Ok noted. thanks.

Such technique is employed when the operator do not own the domain name in concern. Otherwise is to simply make the changes in the host file of each individual client.

operator = the vendor of the app? or the customer using it?
so meaning the operator did not buy the domain name, correct? nothing to do with whether application was written correctly or not?

 

[davidktw]

it's production. quite a big name product used by a big company and still using it. that time my company was asked to set up the app in a new branch (HQ was using and still using).


Ok noted. thanks.


operator = the vendor of the app? or the customer using it?
so meaning the operator did not buy the domain name, correct? nothing to do with whether application was written correctly or not?

If this is a COTS product from a reputable company, it shouldn't happen at all. If this is a customised application for the company, then it is for the vendor to provide a fix to the problem, unless commercially there is no support for whatever reason. It could be the vendor has already cease to exist, thus the original domain name for the server is no longer available, or another vendor took over and merely did a quick fix.

I am using "operator" for the company using this software, since in your earlier post, it is unknown which party is responsible for the software development. If this solution is something that is experience right from the start of procuring the software, the procurer should be sacked. I wouldn't say it is a software problem, I would classify this more under a technical issue mostly caused by commercial agreement issue.

The situation are you experiencing is not a common issue. The fix is a quick patch and not necessarily work in all scenarios, especially for modern software that requires encrypted transport with domain checking; some might even use public key or cert pinning these days.

 

[jackoats.sg]

There is no easy answer. You may have to work with the programmer of the apps to write a unit test for the name resolution part.

Thank you.

So what caused this? I've never had to do such thing in all the other applications i'd installed. Is it really application not written properly? or is it the host name wasn't registered? or setup not done properly in the authoritative server?

 

[rawtuna]

Put the "domain name" to IP address in the host file of the client computer or if your company has it own dns server, put the entry there.