Question on address configuration

[Robert Elz]

    Date:        Tue, 8 Jan 2002 11:37:57 -0800
    From:        Chuck Yerkes <chuck+6bone@snew.com>
    Message-ID:  <20020108113756.A28736@snew.com>

  | Why not do the auto-conf and get the whole, and I'll call "true"
  | address (that uses the Mac Address).  And setup an alias address
  | for the DNS function.  I've regularly put multiple addresses on
  | a single machine when multiple machines aren't needed.

That doesn't make a lot of sense - multiple addresses are a fine facility
to have, for when they're needed, but adding addresses just because they
can be added makes no sense.

If they all go in the DNS, then (because they're all reachable or not
simultaneously when they have the same prefix) then when the host or net
is down, others will waste time trying multiple variants on what is
essentially the same thing, for no benefit whatever.

On the other hand, if they're not in the DNS, and don't have some special
purpose local use, then they might as well not exist, as no-one will ever
use them.

The original request pointed out what is pretty much a current implementation
deficiency - it isn't a major one, as it doesn't prevent anyone from doing
anything they need to do, it just makes it harder.   Eventually I'd expect to
see implementations improved so configuring the "token" part to be used for
addresses (for one specific address, or for all addresses autoconfigured
on an interface) is easy.

kre

ps: there's no point taking this to the ipngwg (or ipv6wg if its name has
changed by now), this has nothing at all to do with the protocols - not even
with the API, it is purely an implementation mtter.