From: Greg Ercolano <erco@(email surpressed)>
Subject: Re: [OSX/LINUX SYSADMIN] A script that converts /etc/hosts into a
   Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 16:39:25 -0400

Greg Ercolano wrote:

I wrote a little perl script that automatically
[configures a DNS server from info in /etc/hosts file]

    http://seriss.com/people/erco/unixtools/hosts2dns/

Robert Minsk wrote:

Have you tried h2n (ftp://ftp.hpl.hp.com/pub/h2n/h2n.tar.gz). If is from the guy who wrote the O'Reilly book. I was fixing a few special cases with him and then he got very sick. Have not heard from him in a few months.

	Thanks! Hadn't heard of h2n.

	(looks it over)

	I think h2n answers a different need; it's more for the advanced user.
	It has lots of options, a separate config file, and allows for editing
	of the zone files after the fact (a nice feature that my tool doesn't
	support). You have to understand DNS terminology just to read the manual.

	hosts2dns answers a different need; to make DNS config as simple
	and unintimidating as possible for folks who know nothing about DNS,
	and just barely understand how to edit an /etc/hosts file.

	I figured advanced users wouldn't bother with my tool, and just go
	straight to regular hands-on direct DNS config techniques, so I didn't
	try to cover that.

	To do any kind of custom DNS config, you'd have to tweak extra DNS lines
	into the script. (eg. MX records, forwarder configs, multiple networks,
	rndc authentication..)

	I wanted to see how simple I could make DNS config from the command line:

		o One executable
		o As few options as possible (only one, really)
		o No config file (all info is in /etc/hosts)
		o Zero understanding of DNS terminology for the installer/maintainer
		o Ease of use over flexibility was the main design goal

	hosts2dns is targeted more to the sysadmin who also happens to be
	the lead TD or the owner of the company ;)

--
Greg Ercolano, erco@(email surpressed)
Rush Render Queue, http://seriss.com/rush/
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