[RPZ] default masterfile-format in BIND 9.9+ has changed from "text" to "raw"

[Paul Vixie]

On 2012-12-21 4:39 AM, Fred Morris wrote:
> ...
>
> Comes to my attention that the default masterfile-format has changed from
> text to raw with BIND 9.9.
>
> ... Looking beyond BIND, beyond DNS: I don't see operational
> reality moving to default support of proprietary data formats (which this
> definitionally is), ...

the binary format in question is AXFR network binary. which means it is
not proprietary for three reasons:

1. the RFC that describes it is unencumbered.
2. the source code that implements it is BSD-licensed.
3. the BIND utilities include BSD-licensed converters.

therefore proprietary is what this definitionally is not. please do more
research before posting next time.

> Anyway, at the least this seems like something which should be noted so
> that people know: you need to set your masterfile-format, that is:
>
>   options {
>    masterfile-format text;
>   };

the binary format is smaller, faster to write, and faster to read in.
ISC is a public benefit company, and we've changed the default because
it's in the public's interest to have name servers store and load zones
more quickly and to have files be smaller. changing it back to "text" is
every server operator's option, of course.

paul