11

I have no idea why the following TLD have a MX record on the root level of the zone. This does not make sense at all.

Does this show the technical incompetence of the NIC? Please comment If I'm wrong.

(At least Postfix looks not to be able to send to postmaster@ai because it automatically appends localdomain.)

Test it yourself with "dig mx ai" for example.

.AI   =>   mail.offshore.AI.
.AS   =>   dca.relay.gdns.net.
.BJ   =>   mail6.domain-mail.com.
.CF   =>   mail.intnet.CF.
.DJ   =>   smtp.intnet.DJ.
      =>   relais2.intnet.DJ.
.DM   =>   mail.nic.DM.
.GP   =>   ns1.nic.GP.
      =>   ns34259.ovh.net.
      =>   manta.outremer.com.
.HR   =>   alpha.carnet.HR.
.IO   =>   mailer2.IO.
.KH   =>   ns1.dns.net.KH.
.KM   =>   mail1.comorestelecom.KM.
.MH   =>   imap.pwke.twtelecom.net.
.MQ   =>   mx1-mq.mediaserv.net.
.NE   =>   bow.rain.fr.
      =>   bow.intnet.NE.
.PA   =>   ns.PA.
.TD   =>   mail.intnet.TD.
.TT   =>   66-27-54-142.san.rr.com.
      =>   66-27-54-138.san.rr.com.
.UA   =>   mr.kolo.net.
.VA   =>   proxy2.urbe.it.
      =>   john.vatican.VA.
      =>   paul.vatican.VA.
      =>   lists.vatican.VA.
.WS   =>   mail.worldsite.WS.
.TD   =>   mail.intnet.TD
.YE   =>   mail.yemen.net.YE.
1
  • 3
    you should further edit the question by making an actual question and avoiding calling incompetent people. You should also point to some reference that mandates that TLDs shouldn't have MX records.
    – anddam
    Apr 8, 2013 at 6:56

3 Answers 3

17

It's perfectly legal - it means the zone operator can just use <address>@<cctld> for their NIC operations. Any software that doesn't support it is broken- search path resolution should only be attempted once an initial DNS lookup has failed.

Note that your nomenclature isn't quite correct - these records exist at the apex of the zone. There's only one root, and it's the one at the top of the tree.

2
  • 1
    Don't split hairs. There is no real sense in doing it or using it. Thats why only some uncommon regional NIC have this kind of weird setup and nobody of them is known for providing a reliable nic service, or are they? hell, most of the MX for .GP are not even reachable/providing smtp service.
    – Roland
    Jun 29, 2010 at 15:34
  • 4
    and your basis and credentials for impugning the reputations of the admins of those ccTLDs are what exactly?
    – Alnitak
    Jul 1, 2010 at 13:01
9

You can send the mail to "postmaster@ai." and it should get there (I don't run Postfix, but if it can't handle that address it's a shortcoming of Postfix, not the DNS system).

1
  • $ dig -t mx ai gives MX 10 mail.offshore.ai. Mar 11, 2019 at 11:30
5

It is valid, though as you pointed out, some e-mail applications and servers will not take kindly to an e-mail address formatted like that.

2
  • But why do you want it anyway? As a NIC?
    – Roland
    Jun 25, 2010 at 23:56
  • 5
    You would have to ask them. Perhaps they just want to cover all the bases for receiving mail from potential customers? Jun 28, 2010 at 13:26

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