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DNS Modification Tools

Overview
In some instances, your new clients may already have a domain name registered and hosting at another provider. Transferring an existing domain name from one hosting provider to another can be a complicated matter but doesn't really need to be.

This suite of DNS templates and tools in conjunction with some sound and thorough instruction can make the transfer process very painless and straightforward.

Sample DNS Transfer Documentation
To help your customers, you will need to provide some documentation that outlines the steps necessary to effect a seamless transfer of a domain name from a previous hosting provider to your server. You can use the Domain Name transfer guidelines on our Web site as a basis for material (you may not copy it directly, however). Your documentation should include the following basic steps:
  1. Ordering a new Virtual Server/account
  2. Uploading existing content
  3. Modifying registration information (template provided)
  4. Waiting for cached DNS info to "expire" (tool provided)
  5. Canceling prior hosting service
Modifying the Registration Template
There are a couple of ways to modify the current DNS information for a domain name that needs to be transferred. You simply modify the Primary and Secondary Name Server information for a domain name. If the domain name is one in which InterNIC acts as registrar (i.e. the top level domains ".com", ".net", or ".org"), then a domain name modification request form can be generated using the Domain Name Modification Template Generator. This template generator is included in the DNS Template and Tool Suite.

Time To Live (TTL) tool
After you modify your Domain Name Service (DNS) information, you will want to have both sites active for a period equivalent to the "time to live" (TTL) information for your domain name. The TTL is the amount of time that the current domain name information remains in Internet Name Server caches. You should not cancel a client's previous hosting service until after a time equivalent to the TTL has elapsed. A quick way to check TTL information is to use the tool provided in the DNS Template and Tool Suite. You can interface with this tool using a FORM element such as is shown below:
    <form method=POST action="/cgi-bin/library/tts/ttl.pl">
    <input name="name" size=24 maxlength=72>
    <input type="submit" value="Check TTL">
    </form>
A working example of a TTL lookup form is found below:
Installing the DNS Template and Tool Suite
To install the query CGI on your Virtual Server you will need to do the following:
  1. Compose a DNS Transfer Documentation Page
    You will need to compose a page which outlines the specific details and steps required to transfer a domain name. The Domain Name transfer guidelines on our Web site will give you a good template from which you can start. HTML references to the DNS Template and Tool Suite will be embedded within the HTML documentation (see above).

  2. Untar the DNS TTS source code
    1. Telnet or SSH to your Virtual Server.
    2. Enter the following at the command prompt

      % vinstall tts

      This will install the ttl.pl, nsi-modify.pl, util.pl, and two other ancillary files into your www/cgi-bin/library/tts directory.
    3. Set the return email address from which template results will be mailed. Look for the following lines near the beginning of the script:

        #
        # from whom does the email template get mailed
        #
        $from = "INSERT YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS HERE";

      Change the "INSERT YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS HERE" text to the email address you would like to use as the return email address for the template messages. Be sure to put a "\" before the "@" in your email address. The Domain Name Modification Template Generator uses Perl version 5 which requires you to properly ignore ("escape") '@' characters in strings.

  3. Customize the Appearance of the Templates and Tools
    Two subroutines in the util.pl file are used to print out header and footer information. These functions are print_header_info and print_footer_info. Feel free to modify these functions such that the CGI outputs pages that are in synch with the motifs of the rest of your site.
SEE ALSO:

Getting your own Name Server

Installing CGI Scripts

CGI Security Issues

CGI Scriptorium

About Perl

Perl Modules

Server Side Includes

Mime Types

About Apache Server

BOOKS TO HELP YOU:


The Domain Name Handbook;
High Stakes and Strategies in Cyberspace
$31.96

CGI Programming 101
CGI Programming 101
$24.95

CGI Programming With Perl
CGI Programming With Perl
$26.36

PGP: Pretty Good Privacy
PGP: Pretty Good Privacy
$27.96

Web Security:
A Step-by-Step Reference Guide
$23.96

Official Guide to Programming With CGI.pm
Official Guide to Programming With CGI.pm
$27.99

Apache: Web Server Directives Guidebook
Apache:
Web Server Directives Guidebook
$15.95

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