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DNS Template and Tool Suite
In some instances, you 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 really need not be. A suite of DNS templates and tools
in conjunction with some sound and thorough instruction can make the
transfer process very painless and straightforward.
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Domain Name Modification Template Generator
There are a couple of ways to modify the current DNS information
for a domain name that wishes to effect a transfer. One is to
simply modify the zone file at the current Primary Name Server
such that is points to a new IP address. The other method (which
is preferred) is to actually change the Primary and Secondary
Name Server information for a domain name. If the domain name
is currently registered with
Network Solutions,
then a domain name modification template can be generated using the
Domain Name
Modification Template Generator. This template generator
is included in the DNS Template and Tool Suite.
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NOTE:
The Domain Name Modification Template Generator works only for domains registered
with Network Solutions. It can not be used to modify the registrations of domain
names registered with other registrars, such as Register.com and Internet Names WorldWide.
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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. It is smart not to cancel
a client's current 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:
Installation
To install the DNS Tool and Template Suite on your Virtual Server you must
connect to your Virtual Server via
Telnet or SSH and
do the following.
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Execute the following command to install the Domain Name Modification Generator and TTL Tool
CGIs.
% vinstall dns-tts
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Specify the return e-mail address for messages created by the
Domain Name Modification Template Generator. Do this by
substituting the e-mail address for
INSERT YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS HERE in the
~/www/cgi-bin/library/tts/nsi-modify.pl file.
#
# from whom does the email template get mailed
#
$from = "INSERT YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS HERE";
Be sure to place a "\" character before the "@"
sign in the e-mail address, like this "myself\@YOUR-DOMAIN.NAME".
Customization
Two subroutines in the ~/www/cgi-bin/library/tts/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.
You may also want to compose a page which outlines the steps
required to transfer a domain name to a Virtual Server. See this
page for ideas:
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