Should admin tool depend on 9.1, or stick with 8.2?

[Bill Larson]

I'm very glad that Apple is interested in this topic.  I have been
a loyal Apple user for years, but I haven't got my copy of MacOS X
(yet!).

Now to the topic:

There is NO "database migration headaches" between BIND-8 and BIND-9!
To go to the extreme, you can take the zone (database) files from any
implementation of an RFC confirming DNS server (even MacDNS 1.04) and
move them to either BIND-8 or BIND-9.  The only minor change may be
the need to add a "$TTL" record at the beginning of the zone file.

There are some differences between BIND-8 and BIND-9 ***configuration***,
information but not the DNS data file itself.

Personally, I am still a little reluctant to move to BIND-9.  BIND-8
have a longer track record, and I trust it more.  When the root name
servers move to BIND-9, I will consider it to be the "standard" for
production DNS servers - but not until then.

Now, after I have said that, I would suggest that anyone working 
on DNS servers to be looking at implementing everything on BIND-9,
including administration tools.

If Apple is REALLY interested in supporting DNS server development, why
not kick in and financially support ISC such as HP, IBM, Sun, Compaq,
etc.  Take a look at http://www.isc.org/ISC/sponsors.html for a list of
current sponsors.  This would assist the general development of the
BIND, and then Apple can help insure that future work (both Apple's and
ISC's) would proceed with as few glitches as possible.

Bill Larson

> Apple is looking at writing some frontend tools for DNS admin.  
> Realistically, we probably can't support both 8.2 and 9.1, so we are 
> wondering if it is sensible to move forward and build the tool to work 
> with 9.1, or to stay with 8.x.  My guess is that most people are 
> reluctant to migrate to Bind 9 because of database migration headaches. 
> Are there other performance or compatibility issues that folks see 
> holding back the widespread use of Bind 9?
> Thanks for the info,
> Jason Rusoff
> 
>