Re: /etc/hosts

From: Floyd L. Davidson (floyd_at_barrow.com)
Date: 03/19/04 

Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2004 10:43:00 -0900

Douglas O'Neal <oneal@dbi.udel.edu> wrote:
>> Except, "thing" should be spelled "gross mistake". There
>> should
>> only be *one* host name for 127.0.0.1, "localhost". If a
>> loopback is desired for some other name, it can be done with any
>> of the other valid 127.x.x.x addresses, but should not be added
>> to 127.0.0.1.

> From 'man hosts'
>Aliases provide for name changes, alternate spellings, shorter
>hostnames, or generic hostnames (for example, localhost).
>
>The man page specifically lists localhost as a candidate for an alias.
>Many systems do use aliases on the 127.0.0.1 address for names like
>loghost or mailhost. It does not break anything to do this. localhost
>will still resolve to 127.0.0.1 and 127.0.0.1 with still resolve to
>localhost. What problems do you anticipate with aliases here and more
>to the point what problems can you document?

See RFC-1537 and RFC-1912, and read any good book on network
administration. Here are at least three,

  "TCP/IP Network Administration", 2nd Ed., Hunt,
  O'Reilly 1998. See pages 50-51, plus

  "Running Linux", 3rd Ed., Welsh, Dalheimer and
  Kaufman, O'Reilly 1999. See page 530.

  "Linux Network Administrator's Guide", Kirch,
  O'Reilly 1995. See pages 64 and 65. 

--
Floyd L. Davidson           <http://web.newsguy.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska)                         floyd@barrow.com

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