Nominet

We are pleased to
announce that we are
changing the way we update our DNS servers.  This will shorten the
time it takes for the new domain registrations, cancellations and
changes that we receive to be made visible on our nameservers. 

Our current process is to generate a complete copy of each zone file
every morning and then distribute these to each of our nameservers.
The new process is based on an automatic system, which will check for
changes at regular intervals and send all that it finds to our
nameservers, as dynamic updates.  This will mean no longer having to
wait until the next day for a domain name that you have just
registered to go live.  It will also mean that if you make a mistake
that needs correcting then you can initiate this immediately, without
waiting until the next day as you have to currently.

Most changes will be picked up and propagated across our nameserver
network within thirty minutes of being received by the Automaton.  As
the changes are processed on a first come, first served basis, it may
take longer than this if we receive a large volume of changes in a
short space of time.  The dynamic update process can handle
approximately two hundred thousand updates per hour, though this is
excluding the Automaton processing time, which depends on the type of
operation requested. 

This new process will go live on the morning of Sunday, 13th February
2005.  The Automaton will be placed into queuing mode at 09:00 and at
this point the last set of complete zone files will be built.  Then at
11:00 Automaton processing will recommence  and these zone files will
be transferred to our nameservers.  Once this is complete the dynamic
updates will begin, which should be at approximately 13:00.   No other
systems will be affected by the change and service from our
nameservers will continue as normal.

It will be possible for you to monitor the changes, as the serial
number of the zone files will use Unix time format to indicate the
time the last set of changes were batched up for transmission to the
nameservers. Please be aware that if, at any point, we discover
serious problems with this new process, then we may choose to revert
to daily zone file builds. 

Should you have any queries regarding this work, please email: support 
at nominet.org.uk or telephone: 01865-332233