The Internet Runs on Names

TL;DR

The paper discusses how the Internet has shifted from IP address-based routing to name-based operations, causing operational challenges and vulnerabilities.

Contribution

It highlights the fundamental mismatch between original Internet design and current name-based practices, emphasizing the need to understand its implications.

Findings

Names now underpin service identity, reachability, load balancing, and trust.

The shift to name-based operation introduces complexity, fragility, and security risks.

Recent outages exemplify the vulnerabilities caused by this transition.

Abstract

The Internet's TCP/IP architecture was designed for resilient packet delivery between hosts identified by IP addresses. Over time, however, the consolidation of applications and services into large-scale platforms built on that universal packet-delivery substrate drove deployment practices that fundamentally changed the Internet's operational model: the network now operates primarily on names. DNS names have become the basis for service identity, reachability, load balancing, and trust, while IP addresses have become ephemeral routing locators. This change was driven by application needs and platform consolidation in the absence of any overarching plan. The resulting mismatch between the original address-based design and the current name-based operation leads to serious consequences: operational complexity that grows with each new layer of indirection, fragility, and vulnerability - as seen in recent high-profile outages. This paper exposes this mismatch as a necessary first step toward understanding its consequences and addressing the risks of continuing on the same path.