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ntl implements new DNS software

# 22 September 2004, 12:24 by Frank

Nominum, a pioneering provider of IP address management, DNS and DHCP infrastructure software, today announced that ntl has implemented Nominum’s Foundation Caching Name Server to accelerate DNS performance and security.

This is welcome news for ntl customers, who have been frustrated for months with ntl’s failing DNS and email servers. According to the Nominum press release, the problems were due to ntl running Bind, which was also written by Nominum under contract by the Internet Systems Consortium.

ntl’s existing DNS operations relied on open source BIND servers, which were stretched to capacity. ntl recognised the need for a carrier grade DNS solution that could scale to meet future demands, as well as optimise its current IT operations.

Nominum’s Caching Name Server screens all DNS requests at packet level, as well as providing buffer overflow protection. The software is “capable of handling an enormous number of queries, the signature of distributed-denial-of-service attacks”.

Foundation Caching Name Server overview
Foundation Caching Name Server overview

Nominum boasts staff members such as Paul Mockapetris, who invented the Domain Name System in 1983. As cheif scientist at Nominum, he designed the architecture that is still in use today, wrote the specifications, and coded the first implementation. The company was also started by David Conrad, founder of APNIC, to create Bind 9.

Keith Oborn, DNS Manager for ntl, said: “Our customers demand the highest quality of service; Nominum’s Caching Name Server has assisted us in providing a more robust platform for running our services. With Nominum’s solution, DNS look-ups are five times faster than BIND servers, allowing us to significantly increase our network performance, and in turn, reduced the need for additional expenditure on hardware, that would have been required if we stayed with open source software.”

As usual, ntl have not bothered to inform their customers about this good news, and unfortunately Nominum do not make customer communication software.

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