RFC 1178 (rfc1178) - Page 1 of 8

Choosing a name for your computer

Network Working Group                                          D. Libes
Request for Comments: 1178                Integrated Systems Group/NIST
FYI: 5                                                      August 1990


                   Choosing a Name for Your Computer

Status of this Memo

   This FYI RFC is a republication of a Communications of the ACM
   article on guidelines on what to do and what not to do when naming
   your computer [1].  This memo provides information for the Internet
   community.  It does not specify any standard.

   Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Abstract

   In order to easily distinguish between multiple computers, we give
   them names.  Experience has taught us that it is as easy to choose
   bad names as it is to choose good ones.  This essay presents
   guidelines for deciding what makes a name good or bad.

   Keywords: domain name system, naming conventions, computer
   administration, computer network management

Introduction

   As soon as you deal with more than one computer, you need to
   distinguish between them.  For example, to tell your system
   administrator that your computer is busted, you might say, "Hey Ken.
   Goon is down!"

   Computers also have to be able to distinguish between themselves.
   Thus, when sending mail to a colleague at another computer, you might
   use the command "mail libes@goon".

   In both cases, "goon" refers to a particular computer.  How the name
   is actually dereferenced by a human or computer need not concern us
   here.  This essay is only concerned with choosing a "good" name.  (It
   is assumed that the reader has a basic understanding of the domain
   name system as described by [2].)

   By picking a "good" name for your computer, you can avoid a number of
   problems that people stumble over again and again.

   Here are some guidelines on what NOT to do.




Libes