INTERNET-DRAFT                                     Test and Example TLDs
                                                               July 1997
                                                    Expires January 1998




                Test and Example Top Level Domain Names
                ---- --- ------- --- ----- ------ -----

                         Donald E. Eastlake 3rd
                            Aliza R. Panitz




                        Status of This Document

       This draft, file name draft-ietf-dnsind-test-tlds-01.txt, is
   intended to be become an Informational RFC.  Distribution of this
   document is unlimited. Comments should be sent to the DNS mailing
   list <namedroppers@tis.com> or to the authors.

   This document is an Internet-Draft.  Internet-Drafts are working
   documents of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), its areas,
   and its working groups.  Note that other groups may also distribute
   working documents as Internet-Drafts.

   Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six
   months.  Internet-Drafts may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by
   other documents at any time.  It is not appropriate to use Internet-
   Drafts as reference material or to cite them other than as a
   ``working draft'' or ``work in progress.''

   To learn the current status of any Internet-Draft, please check the
   1id-abstracts.txt listing contained in the Internet-Drafts Shadow
   Directories on ds.internic.net (East USA), ftp.isi.edu (West USA),
   nic.nordu.net (North Europe), ftp.nis.garr.it (South Europe),
   munnari.oz.au (Pacific Rim), or ftp.is.co.za (Africa).



Abstract

   To reduce the likelihood of conflict and confusion, four top level
   domain names are reserved for use in private testing and as examples
   in documentation.








D. Eastlake, A. Panitz                                          [Page 1]

INTERNET-DRAFT                                     Test and Example TLDs


Table of Contents

      Status of This Document....................................1
      Abstract...................................................1

      Table of Contents..........................................2

      1. Introduction............................................3
      2. TLDs for Testing and Documentation Examples.............3
      3. Security Considerations.................................3

      References.................................................4
      Author's Addresses.........................................4
      Expiration and File Name...................................4










































D. Eastlake, A. Panitz                                          [Page 2]

INTERNET-DRAFT                                     Test and Example TLDs


. Introduction

   The global Internet Domain Name System is documented in RFC 1034,
   1035, 1591 and numerous additional Requests for Comment.  It defines
   a tree of names starting with root, ".", immediately below which are
   top level domain names such as .com and .us. Below top level domain
   names there are normally additional levels of names.



. TLDs for Testing and Documentation Examples

   There is a need for top level domain names that can safely be used in
   private testing, as examples in documentation, and for
   experimentation, without fear of conflicts with actual top level
   domain names in the global DNS.  To satisfy this need, the following
   four domain names are permanently reserved.

                   .xx
                  .nil
                 .test
              .example

   Note: two letter top level domain names are reserved for ISO 3166 /
   Universal Postal Union two letter country codes.  However, ISO 3166
   reserves "xx" for local use and states that it will never be assigned
   to a country.

   The above four names will be added to the root with a single type TXT
   RR under each. The RDATA for these TXT RRs will contain the single
   string

        Reserved, see RFC NNNN.

   [where NNNN is the number of the RFC this draft gets issued as.]



. Security Considerations

   Confusion and conflict can be caused by the use of a current or
   potential future top level domain name in testing, experimentation,
   or as an example in documentation.  Test and experimental software
   can escape and end up being run against the global operational DNS.
   Even examples used "only" in documentation can end up being coded and
   released or cause conflicts due to later real use and the possible
   acquisition of intellectual property rights in such "example" names.

   The reservation of several top level domain names specifically for
   these purposes will minimize such confusion and conflict.


D. Eastlake, A. Panitz                                          [Page 3]

INTERNET-DRAFT                                     Test and Example TLDs


References

   RFC 1034 - P. Mockapetris, "Domain names - concepts and facilities",
   11/01/1987.

   RFC 1035 - P. Mockapetris, "Domain names - implementation and
   specification", 11/01/1987.

   RFC 1591 - J. Postel, "Domain Name System Structure and Delegation",
   03/03/1994.



Author's Addresses

   Donald E. Eastlake 3rd
   CyberCash, Inc.
   318 Acton Street
   Carlisle, MA 01741 USA

   Telephone:   +1 508 287 4877
                +1 703 620-4200 (main office, Reston, VA)
   FAX:         +1 508 371 7148
   EMail:       dee@cybercash.com


   Aliza R. Panitz
   AccessAbility Internet Services, Inc.
   12515 Greenbriar Road
   Potomac, MD 20854 USA

   Telephone: +1 301 983-3547
   FAX:       +1 301 983-4899
   EMail:       buglady@ability.net



Expiration and File Name

   This draft expires January 1998.

   Its file name is draft-ietf-dnsind-test-tlds-01.txt.










D. Eastlake, A. Panitz                                          [Page 4]