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DNS

BEV is not adding services for new customers at the current time. We are continuing to support existing customers.

Overview

The Domain Name Service (DNS) is something like an Internet phonebook--it enables computers on the Internet find your computer with your custom domain name. There are two parts to this:

  1. A Domain Name Server must be configured to support your domain (e.g. MYCLUBNAME.ORG), and to have the correct IP address (e.g. 198.82.165.36) that goes with your computer's name (e.g. WWW.MYCLUBNAME.ORG). 
  2. Your domain must be registered with a Domain Name Registrar, sometimes called a Root Domain Name Registrar, a company or organization that records which DNS Server is the authority for your domain. The "root" reference reflects the fact that the registrar will install your domain in the root domain name servers, which record all the subdomains occurring in the chosen root domain. In the case of MYCLUBNAME.ORG, "MYCLUBNAME" is a subdomain of the ".ORG" root domain.

The Blacksburg Electronic Village can provide the first service, Domain Name Server support, for personal and business domains for Ethernet users in the Blacksburg, Virginia area. BEV charges an annual fee for this service (generally $31.15 per domain).

BEV does not provide the second service. You will need to contact a Domain Name Registrar to register your domain. Fees for this service vary, but are generally $70 or less for a registration that lasts two years. Some Domain Name Registrars also provide Domain Name Server support.

References:

Yahoo DNS Directory has a variety of links to information about what DNS is, how it works, and provider options.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) maintains a List of Accreditation-Qualified Registrars.

There are now some websites that compare registrar prices and services, such as http://www.regselect.com/. Note that some registrars supply Domain Name Server support as well as registration, and some may actually require you to use a certain Domain Name Server provider.

The Policies section of this page has more information on BEV-provided Domain Name Server support, and is followed by a description of the Procedures we use to install and remove domains from the BEV DNS server.

BEV Domain Name Server Support Fees:

The following rates are effective as of February 12, 2001 for all additions and renewals of domains supported by the BEV DNS servers:

  • $31.15/year for primary or secondary service for a full domain (e.g. "mybusiness.com", "www.mybusiness.com".) 
  • $31.15/year for delegation of a subdomain of a BEV-supported local community zone to a different DNS server (e.g. "mybusiness.com.blacksburg.va.us" delegated to your own DNS server.) 
  • $31.15/year for a single hostname in a BEV-supported local community zone (e.g. "myclub.org.blacksburg.va.us".) 
  • $31.15/year for primary or secondary service for two or more hostnames collected under a single BEV-supported local community subdomain (e.g. "alpha.mycorp.com.blacksburg.va.us" and "beta.mycorp.com.blacksburg.va.us".)

BEV customers will not incur additional charges for domain name server support required for BEV-supplied full-service websites and bulk email.

In order to minimize user costs, these rates allow for a minimal amount of user assistance. Links are provided above to a variety of references that can be used to learn more about the Domain / Hostname / IP address mechanism supported by the Internet Domain Name System. If desired, BEV will provide additional DNS consulting to individuals, organizations, or businesses billed on an hourly basis.

BEV Domain Name Service Policies:

Domains created in various root domains (eg. mycompany.com, myclub.org, myisp.net, mytown.va.us) and carried by the BEV name servers are subject to an annual BEV registration fee of $31.15. The BEV domain name service fee will be billed for one year in advance at the time the domain is first registered for primary or secondary service on the BEV servers, and annually thereafter so long as name service continues for that domain. In the event name service is cancelled before a billing year has ended no portion of the current year's fee will be refunded.

BEV customers will not incur additional BEV domain name service charges for domains required by BEV-supplied full-service websites and bulk email.

The BEV domain name service fee applies in addition to any fees charged by the root domain registration service. Customers are responsible for filling out any applicable root domain application forms and sending them to the appropriate root domain registrar.

BEV is the authority for certain ".us" domains (blacksburg.va.us, montgomery.va.us, roanoke.va.us, radford.va.us, etc.) BEV will support an individual hostname in one of these zones for $31.15/year. Multiple hostnames can be allocated under a single sub-domain (e.g. "alpha.mycorp.com.blacksburg.va.us" and "beta.mycorp.com.blacksburg.va.us") for $31.15/year. A sub-domain such as "mycorp.com.blacksburg.va.us" can also be delegated to your own nameservers for $31.15/year. It is not necessary to contact a root domain authority to register sub-domains within zones that have already been delegated to BEV.

Virginia Tech, not BEV, is the authority for domains in the "VT.EDU" zone. Please contact HOSTMASTER@VT.EDU, not BEV, to obtain a domain allocated in this zone, which is exclusively used for Virginia Tech departments.

Any conflicts regarding rights to use a specific domain name must be resolved by the customer. BEV will not be a party to disputes regarding ownership of domain names, domain names that infringe on trademarks, etc. BEV may require an applicant to provide written proof that they are authorized to use a given domain name. BEV may refuse or discontinue name service for any domain at any time.

Operators of domains carried by BEV name servers must conform to standards of network conduct as described in the Acceptable Use Policy. Furthermore, domain operators must require the users of their service to conform to those same standards. In particular, unsolicited e-mail advertising a BEV-carried domain will not be tolerated, whether the e-mail originates from a BEV-carried domain or not. BEV may at any time determine that a domain is engaging in unacceptable use, and BEV may at any time discontinue name service for such domains at BEV's sole discretion.

BEV may change its fee requirements, policies, or procedures at any time.

BEV Domain Name Service Procedures:

Please follow the below procedure when registering a domain name with BEV:

  1. If you want to establish a hostname or sub-domain within a BEV-supported community domain (blacksburg.va.us, montgomery.va.us, roanoke.va.us, radford.va.us, etc.) it is not necessary to contact a root domain authority--skip down to step #6. 
  2. Pick a Domain Name Registrar and register the domain: Choose a Domain Name Registrar that supports the root zone you wish for your domain. The references above include some links to information that may be helpful in choosing a registrar. Select a domain name which conforms to the root authority's policies (note that ".EDU" domains are only allowed for educational institutions granting four-year degrees) and verify that it is available using the registrar's "whois" tool. 
  3. Submit a new domain or change domain authority registration request using your chosen registrar's forms. In order for BEV to provide name service for your domain, you must specify the following on your registration form:
    • If you are planning to request PRIMARY domain name service from BEV:
      • Administrative and Billing Contact: Your name and address, or your client's
      • Technical and Zone Contact: Your name and address
      • Primary Server Hostname: CRUSHER.BEV.NET
      • Primary Server Netaddress: 198.82.165.53
      • Secondary Server Hostname: DNS2.BEV.NET
      • Secondary Server Netaddress: 198.82.165.52 
    • If you are planning to request only SECONDARY domain name service from BEV:
      • Administrative and Billing Contact: Your name and address, or your client's
      • Technical and Zone Contact: Your name and address
      • Primary Server Hostname: Your primary name server hostname (not a BEV name server)
      • Primary Server Netaddress: Your primary name server IP address (not a BEV name server)
      • Secondary Server Hostname: DNS2.BEV.NET
      • Secondary Server Netaddress: 198.82.165.52 
    • *** DO NOT list BEV or any BEV representative as an Administrative, Billing, or Technical contact. 
  4. If you are moving domain authority from another name service provider to BEV, please have the current Administrative Contact for the domain send a copy of the registration change request to HOSTMASTER@BEV.NET. To insure uninterrupted service for an existing domain, you may want to first set up the domain on the BEV server, then send the registration modification to the root domain authority, then have the old provider remove the domain from their server. 
  5. When you receive e-mail from the root domain authority confirming the registration of your domain, please send a copy to HOSTMASTER@BEV.NET. 
  6. Use the BEV Domain Registration Form page on the web to request that BEV assume authority for your domain. The BEV Domain Registration form is used to collect the following information: Your name, current address, phone number, id number, and e-mail address, the name of the domain or hostname to be registered, whether you are requesting primary or secondary name server support for the domain, and the name of your BEV DNS control file, if BEV has assigned one to you. 
  7. BEV Domain Name Services will register your domain or hostname on the BEV name servers within 5 working days. We will contact you when this has been accomplished; if you need to contact us, please use the HOSTMASTER@BEV.NET address. 
  8. Virginia Tech Communications Network Services handles billing for BEV DNS Services. The bill will be sent to the postal address you specified in step #6. Note that all CNS billing for your account will be sent to this address; be careful to specify an address that will reliably reach you, and contact us if it changes. BEV will discontinue domain name service for accounts that are not paid. 
  9. Changes and deletions: Use the BEV Domain Name Service Form to make changes, deletions, and to specify host, synonym, and mail routing (A, CNAME, and MX) to be added to your domain. If you have several machine names you may be asked to use a DNS Datafile to notify BEV of changes. If you no longer require DNS services from the Blacksburg Electronic Village, you must use the BEV Domain Name Service Form to request that service be discontinued. Note that billing is done on a yearly basis and is not pro-rated. If you have not notified us prior to the annual billing date, you will be assessed the charges for the coming year.