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R E V I E W

Do It Yourself DNS

April 3, 2003
By Joe Hernick and Dean Ellerton

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ApplianSys DNSBox300

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	In this article
	Introduction
	BlueCat Networks Adonis
	ApplianSys DNSBox300
	Infoblox DNS One
	Executive Summary \| How We Tested \| Related Links
	Report Card

The DNSBox300 is the only product in our testing trio to use NIXU NameSurfer SE to manage DNS. NameSurfer has been around for about six years, with approximately 700 major customers worldwide, including Cox Communications, Nokia and Qwest Communications. The DNSBox300 is designed to be a primary DNS, using secondary or slave DNS boxes to front BIND 9 to the outside world (ApplianSys provided its own DNSBox100 for this purpose, but we also successfully tested with a Linux box as secondary.) NameSurfer retains compatibility with BIND 4 and BIND 8 as well. So while NIXU provides the full functionality of a primary DNS in the background, ApplianSys recommends that you run secondary name servers with traditional BIND to interface with the world.

In keeping with a "simple is better" design theme, the DNSBox300 uses CompactFlash memory rather than traditional hard disks, eliminating a common source of hardware failure. This is a nice touch. With twin CompactFlash slots, the OS and application reside on one LinuxROM card; user configuration and other data are on the second card for ease of update and additional security. From our point of view, no spinning parts equals fewer points of failure.

The DNSBox300 requires a connection to a keyboard and monitor to set up network settings. We had some trouble when our config settings were lost, but after that the rest of the configuration was blazingly fast. Factoring out our initial mishap, setup time was less than five minutes, without pulling out the instructions.

The DNSBox300's browser interface is so clean and simple that it required no manual to use. However, the trade-off for that simplicity is an environment that offers fewer bells and whistles than DNS One or Adonis. And our biggest concern is the lack of SSL support for client access. Security is password-based, but it does not require a secure connection between client and appliance. All traffic, including configuration information, is sent in clear text.

ApplianSys DNSBox300

click to enlarge

Still, if speed and ease of use carry more weight than a long features list, this British appliance may be just your cup of tea. The interface, once configured properly, is responsive and provides easy navigation between administrative functions. The simplicity of the Web interface on DNSBox300 could be very appealing to smaller shops managing a limited number of zones.

DNSBox300, $9, 950. ApplianSys, 44 (0) 8454-505152. www.appliansys.com