External references to IP addresses

2018-06-13 - News - Tony Finch

After some experience with the the relaxed rules for references to off-site servers we have changed our process slightly. Instead of putting the IP addresses in the ucam.biz zone, we are going to enter them into the IP Register database, so that these non-CUDN IP addresses appear directly in the cam.ac.uk zone.

There are a few reasons for this:

• Both the ucam.biz and IP Register setups are a bit fiddly, but the database is more easily scripted;

• It reduces the need for us to set up separate HTTP redirections on the web traffic managers;

• It reduces problems with ACME TLS certificate authorization at off-site web hosting providers;

• It is closer to what we have in mind for the future.

The new setup registers off-site IP addresses in an OFF-SITE mzone, attached to an off-site vbox. The addresses are associated with web site hostnames using aname objects. This slightly round-about arrangement allows for IP addresses that are used by multiple web sites.