Frequently Asked Questions

When will NicTool be released?

Soon, honest! (UPDATE: released 2004.09.29)

How does NicTool simplify DNS?

NicTool's API makes it possible to create DNS templates and allows users and admins to perform mass DNS updates without granting them any extraordinary privileges. All changes made via the API are logged and visible via NicToolClient.

NicTool enables a central repository of DNS data that is exported to a variety of servers running tinydns, BIND, PowerDNS, MaraDNS, or NSD.

When does the nameserver re-read it's config file?

Tinydns serves directly from the compiled data.cdb file. The instant that file is compiled (by tinydns-data), it is moved into place and tinydns is serving from it.

BIND rereads the config file when told (rndc reload).

PowerDNS has an expiration timer and rechecks if zone files have been updated, and if so, automatically re-reads them.

NSD serves from a compiled database (similar to tinydns)

What are NicTool's OS requirements?

NicTool is written in perl. The client can be run on any platform that has perl and apache available. NicToolServer also needs MySQL. NicTool is known to run on Linux, FreeBSD, MacOS X, and other UNIX-like operating systems.