Hosts

We use EPP host objects within IRS instead of the Nameserver elements associated with domain objects in SRS.

Warning

The change to Host objects represents a significant change for .nz registrars, including those using our existing .nz EPP implementation.

To protect the availability and stability of the .nz DNS infrastructure, InternetNZ may revalidate and, in severe cases, remove Host data from the DNS should it fail to meet technical or operational criteria.

Host behaviours

.nz superordinate names

Only the sponsor of a .nz superordinate domain name can create the subordinate host object. For example, you could not create ns1.exampletestdomain.co.nz if exampletestdomain.co.nz was registered with another registrar.

When a .nz superordinate name is transferred, then the subordinate host object is also transferred to the new sponsor.

When a .nz superordinate domain name goes into redemption period and the host object is linked to other domains then:

  • A ‘delegation lost’ poll message is sent to registrars; and

  • The host associations are removed (note if a domain is left with only one associated host, a validation error will be received on the next update attempt).

When a .nz superordinate domain name is restored and the host object was previously linked to other domains, then:

  • A ‘delegation recovered’ poll message is sent to registrars; and

  • The host associations are reinstated.

When a .nz superordinate domain name is deleted from the database, then the subordinate host record is also deleted.

Host object sponsors

Only the sponsor can update the host object.

External host objects

External host objects, i.e. outside the .nz zone, cannot be deleted until there are no domain names associated with it.

External host objects orphaned for >90 days are removed by the IRS housekeeper job.

IP addresses are not required for external host objects.

Host IP addresses

IRS allows two hosts with the same IP addresses to be associated with the same domain, whereas the current SRS does not.

In IRS, the number of hosts associated to a domain are restricted to either 0 or 2 - 13. The maximum number of hosts in IRS is 13 whereas the current SRS has a maximum of 10.

IRS allows for five IPv4 and five IPv6 IP addresses, whereas the current SRS allows for one of each.

The current SRS only stores the IP address glue for hosts that are directly self-serving (or in-bailiwick) where the glue records are necessary for name resolution to succeed. In contrast, IRS requires IP address glue for all hosts subordinate to .nz and will always publish these in the zone file regardless of whether this is necessary for resolution.

Host objects - general

Host objects are shared among multiple registrars (Refer to the Objects section above). This means any registrar can associate a domain name to any host object.

Any registrar can create a host for a superordinate domain that is outside the .nz zone.

All host objects can be locked, by the:

  • Registry applying the serverUpdateProhibited and serverDeleteProhibited statuses;

  • Registrar applying client statuses to prevent updates or deletes; or

  • Selecting the host lock option as a part of registry lock.

Host information

Further information on hosts including creating a host, updating a host and deleting a host can be found in the Hosts section of the IRS Registrar Guide