If the information in the following message means what I think it means in
then somebody is colocating an entire new set of root nameservers at
exchange points within the USA if not internationally.Can they do this? Or are they bluffing?
They can buy connections from ISPs and connections at some exchanges.
With these connections they may choose to deploy machines that
run their version of nameservice. It still does not affect those
people who use authorized root servers and the bind code as distributed.
Note that some exchanges prohibit this type of service from being
offered and there is the other, minor problem of annoucing the exchange
prefix. These issues were discussed in the IEPG meeting that was
held just prior to IETF.
There is a plan to do a couple of interesting things with the authorized
root servers which includes relocating them for better coverage.
I will also note, yet again, that there are real, technological constraints
on the number of root servers. If you buy into the utility of the DNS,
then you must abide by these constraints. If you choose to build an
alternative universe and you have the cash, you are certainly able, the
tools are there. If you simply have a gripe with the IANA and wish to
usurp the root by the use of an alternative cache file, you split the
Internet into fragments... so much for the fiction of a globally useful
activity. Or there is the intent to "chop off" the root and simply
coordinate a TLD file distribution, which leads to the HOSTS.TXT madness.
Of course this presumes content and clients for the parallel universe.