CITES Networking is pleased to announce that the DNS migration is now complete and campus DNS is now running on our new IPAM ("IP Address Management") platform. You can find documentation on the new integrated DNS and DHCP self-service interface (Grid Manager) at:
http://www.cites.illinois.edu/ipam
We are still in the process of adding more items to the documentation as we go, so please check back from time to time.
A few things have changed that we wanted to make sure you are aware of. Here are answers to some of your most frequently asked questions:
Q. What are some of the things we can do in the DNS self-service interface now that we couldn't before?
A. In addition to being able to manage your DNS and DHCP configuration in one place, now your DNS record changes in Grid Manager will take effect instantaneously - no more waiting for reloads! Alternatively, you now have the ability to schedule changes for a later date and time if desired. Finally, Grid Manager offers an API which enables advanced users with some programming skill to perform DNS and DHCP configuration tasks using a Perl script (please read http://www.cites.illinois.edu/ipam/api.html before using the API).
Q. What DNS changes will still need to go through Hostmanager?
A. For the immediate future, the creation of fourth-level domains will be a superuser function, so if you have a need for one (or want to discuss if you need a subdomain or a single record) please contact Hostmanager. Bulk Updates can be requested via a .csv file. Domain creation will still be done through the established web forms, and requests for network creation will still need to be directed to the CITES Network Design Group. As always, if you need to make changes to a record you don't have access to, Hostmanager can coordinate that for you.
Q. The DNS import process created a Host record in one of my zones, with an IP address on one of my networks, but Grid Manager won't let me edit the Host record because it has an Alias in another zone that I don't have permissions on. What can I do about this?
A. In most cases, Host Aliases are the recommended way to create an alias because they will automatically be kept up to date if the name of the Host record ever changes in the future. If this is causing a permission problem for you, however, please contact Hostmanager with the details, and we will replace the Host Alias with an equivalent standalone CNAME record.
Q. Now that we have the ability to create both Host records and stand-alone A records, I'm confused about which one I should use. Can you help?
A. See http://www.cites.illinois.edu/ipam/host-records.html for an explanation of what Host records are and how to use them, and http://www.cites.illinois.edu/ipam/standalone.html#uses for an explanation of when to use stand-alone A records instead (hint: rarely).
Also, don't forget to subscribe to the IPAM News blog at http://illinois.edu/blog/view/1010 so you can keep up to date on the latest IPAM news (including future news developments that may not be critical enough to announce via TECHSUPPORT).
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact hostmgr.
Thank you,
Illinois IPAM Administrators
