What is/will be the functionality of a "production" web management panel? Is it the same as the current one available after registration with Community DNS?

While the test bed offers limited functionality, the production server provides participating DNS Operators with a robust system in place.  The participating DNS Operator instructs Community DNS to collect the zone data from a specific IP address of its master name server.  Community DNS then hard codes that information in and locks it down.  The DNS Operator can trigger an update by sending Community DNS a NOTIFY and the Community DNS platform will automatically update.  The DNS Operator can also force an update check from the STATS pages.

Will the web management panel provide some functionality to collect DNS statistics e.g. number of queries, ranking of networks generating most traffic, etc?

Yes, a participating DNS Operator will have access to data relating to activity in its own zone(s) from each name server location.  Community DNS currently has servers in Amsterdam, London, Tokyo, Ashburn, Chicago and San Jose, with more servers coming online soon in Sydney and Johannesburg and anycast footprint expanding almost monthly.  IN ALL CASES, monitoring tools are secure so that only the participating DNS Operator has access to data, monitoring, and other activities in its own zone(s).

In addition, a participating DNS Operator will also have access to lists of actual updates (add/modify/deletes) by time of day and maximum/minimum number of names that day as well as general graphs such as:  Total query rate for the Anycast cloud, total queries to its IP Address and number of queries on each individual server location – giving the DNS Operator regional analysis, total number of names, and update levels. 

Will the Community DNS Shared Resolution System suppurt DNSSEC?

The simple answer is ‘yes’.  The System has been designed to anticipate the introduction of DNSSEC once appropriate standards have been adopted, published and adequately tested for implementation.

Will the Community DNS Shared Resolution System support IXFR, TSIG?

Community DNS currently supports RFC 2136 compliant Dynamic Updates, optionally signed  with an RFC 2845 compliant TSIG.  A DNS Operator can test it currently on the test bed platform by simply selecting Dynamic Updates and giving Community DNS the IP address of the Operator’s server followed by “/” and your TSIG key.  For example: -

13.23.78.20/I4y5M+5kgwTjnoccle6d0w==

Updates using AXFR and IXFR are also supported,. – IXFR is fine – the server will automatically detect if the DNS Operator’s master supports IXFR and request it if it is supported.

Will the Community DNS Shared Resolution System use RNDC KEY to authorize dynamic updates?

Community DNS prefers to use TSIG to authorize Dynamic Updates.  RNDC.KEY is better used for obtaining data from the remote server.  TSIG is for signing packets, while RNDC (Remote NameD Control) is for remotely controlling a bind server. But can also be used to remotely ask for very limited stats information.

Does Community DNS support IPv4 and IPv6?

Yes.

It is absolutely vital for a DNS solution to have a fast recovery time for many reasons including disaster recovery.   And the Community DNS Shared Resolution System has the fastest in the industry.  Under current conditions, for a zone of 1 million names, its recovery time would take only 4 seconds!  And improved performance can be expected in the future.

Does the Community DNS Shared Resolution System come with an SLA?

The System offers and operates to a 99.999% SLA.

Is the Community DNS Service intended to serve as a slave or a master?

Generally, the Community DNS anycast service is intended as an outsourced slave service designed to supplement the DNS Operator’s existing resolution system.  However, if desired by the DNS Operator, Community DNS can implement a full DNS  system, including Master and Slaves which fully utilize the Community DNS resolution capabilities.

How much does it cost?

The Community DNS Shared Resolution System is set up to have a flat monthly fee based on the volume of domain name registrations in a DNS Operator’s zone(s).  It is priced at a fraction of the cost of alternative DNS providers or even in-house development and deployment costs.  Pricing information, and special programs for Operators in developing regions, are available through a Community DNS representative.

How many names can the Community DNS Shared Resolution platform handle?

As of July 2007, the System has been tested to a capacity of 500 million names, answering in excess of 100,000 queries per second (6 million queries per minute, 8.6 billion queries per day) for each server in the Anycast constellation.  This not only provides zones with fast and reliable service, but gives Community DNS ample capacity to thwart even the most sophisticated DDOS attacks of today.  And additional performance enhancements are on the horizon.

Can a participating DNS Operator manage its own zone and that data that is collected?

The Community DNS Shared Resolution platform gives a DNS Operator outsource advantages with maximum ability to control and manage its own zone(s) and data, with flexible service offerings.