Internet Systems Consortium Releases New Version of Market Leading DNS Software; ISC to Provide Commercial BIND Support

Business Wire, April 20, 2004

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 20, 2004

ISC announced that the latest version of its market leading open source DNS software, BIND 9.3, is available for download today as beta at http://www.isc.org/sw/bind/. BIND 9.3 incorporates a large number of new features, offers better support to BIND administrators and includes significant security features such as support for the revised DNS Security (DNSSEC) protocol. ISC will also begin offering direct support to users of BIND through the sale of annual support contracts.

For many years BIND, and its derivatives, has been the most popular software implementation of the DNS protocol running on over 75% of the nameservers on the Internet. DNS complexity is increasing as new functionality is added around security and IPv6. In anticipation of the implementation of these changes, ISC will begin offering commercial support for BIND. Support is available at different levels from 24x7 coverage via phone or email or basic email only support. Specific program details are available at: http://www.isc.org/ops/support/.

BIND 9.3 includes code to implement the current Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) draft specifications for the DNSSEC protocol extensions. "Even though the specifications have not been completely finalized to date, ISC believes it to be the right time to release this code so that users can begin working with the new functionality," said Suzanne Woolf, Software Engineering Manager at ISC.

BIND 9.3 will ship with DNSSEC support turned off by default in the configuration file. The addition of a new configuration option enables DNSSEC functionality while ensuring that current users will not encounter problems when upgrading their current systems. By taking this approach, ISC supports protocol development efforts at IETF and is enabling advance field-testing for the new technology.

The focus of the other new features in BIND 9.3 is to provide better support and control for system and zone administrators. Specifically, some of the new features are: improved support and control for IXFR, RRset ordering, IPv6 transport and records, and cache size. Other additions include: Server identification support, extended statistics and the ability to have servers with multiple addresses. Before reaching the current beta stage, the software was released to ISC Software Guild members and the BIND-workers mailing list for testing. For more information visit: http://www.isc.org/sw/bind/

About ISC

Internet Systems Consortium (ISC) ISC is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation with a long history of developing and maintaining the production quality Open Source software - BIND and DHCP. ISC has increased its focus to include enhancing the stability of the global DNS directly through reliable F-root nameserver operations and ongoing operation of a DNS crisis coordination center, ISC's OARC for DNS. ISC is also engaged with further protocol development efforts, particularly in the areas of DNS evolution and facilitating the transition to IPv6. ISC is supported by the donations of generous sponsors, program membership fees and specific fees for services. For program or donation information, please visit our website at http://www.isc.org