Network Addressing

Domain Name Service

Domain Name Service (DNS) is a technology which translates domain names to IP addresses. It also lists mail exchange service for transferring e-mail.

.edu Domain Names

Request DNS Changes for domains ending in .umn.edu

Request DNS Changes for domains ending in washington.edu

.com .net or .org Domain Names

DNS Requests for domains ending in .com, .net, .org, etc. are provided through alternate service providers. Customers may choose any vendor, however the Office of Information Technology (OIT) recommends EasyDNS. NTS provides intervention support when applicable for customers who select EasyDNS.

Departmental DNS Management

OIT offers IP management in our Infoblox appliance-based solution to departments using the Service Gateway as the user interface.

U of M Network Administrators need access to the Service Gateway in order to manage their own DNS. If your department is migrated to the Service Gateway, ask your department's primary contact to grant you access. If your department is not migrated use 1-HELP (612-301-4357) for any DNS changes you need.

Network Address Management Frequently Asked Questions

DnsSyncCheck - DNS Manual Cache Management

OIT offers a DNS Cache server management tool called DnsSyncCheck. The application queries our IP Address Management appliance for reference data, systematically performs the same query on our Authoritative Slave servers as well as our Anycast Cache servers, and then compares the datum from each query to the reference. If there are any differences to the reference, the Anycast Cache is invalidated for the probed records. The DnsSyncCheck tool can be used to speed up moves or changes of DNS records.

DHCP Configuration

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a network protocol that enables a DHCP server to automatically assign an IP address to an individual computer, allowing you to move your computer from one DHCP-enabled location to another without reconfiguring it.  OIT has enabled DHCP services to several classrooms as well as wireless Access Points (AP) for use by people who have a laptop. In addition, all of the residence halls are configured for DHCP services in the student rooms.

DHCP provides a number of benefits for the University community:

• Users no longer need to manually configure their IP address
• There are fewer calls for help with automatically generated IP numbers
• University employees who have a laptop can roam throughout the campus and plug into one of the kiosks currently available in the West Bank Union, the St. Paul Student Center, and on the East Bank

Any computer that is already network-enabled can be registered: DHCP Configuration, Register for DHCP.

MacView - Address Tracking

OIT tracks addresses for all IP, MAC Address and Switch Ports that are under our management. The application MacView uses Management Authorization from Service Gateway to control access to the data served by MacView.

IPv6

The University of Minnesota is at 98% utilization of its IPv4 network address space. Worldwide, the supply of IPv4 (Internet Protocol) addresses is diminishing quickly. Internet governing bodies have responded to this critical issue with the development of a new Internet Protocol, called IPv6. IPv4 is a 32-bit address, providing approximately 4 billion IP addresses. IPv6 is a 128-bit address, providing 340 undecillion (2128) IP addresses.

OIT has been quietly laying the groundwork for the adoption of IPv6 throughout the past year. IPv6 is now active on the Twin Cities campus network, at the core node level. This is only a beginning. There are applications and equipment that must be configured for IPv6, and perhaps upgraded, throughout the University. We have set the goal of adopting IPv6 by the end of 2012.

Though OIT is adopting IPv6 on the network backbone and within OIT applications, individual departments and colleges are responsible for IPv6 adoption on their own applications and equipment. Our intent is to allow University communities to transition to IPv6 as budgets and schedules permit. In order to maintain full network functionality, OIT will run dual stacks throughout the network during the interim. This will allow both IPv4 and IPv6 to run simultaneously and route traffic via each connection’s required protocol.

Yet to be accomplished:

• Identification of affected applications and adoption of IPv6 by those applications.
• Identification of affected equipment and upgrade of any equipment that is not IPv6-ready.
• Identification of affected network connections and upgrade of those connections, as needed.
• Modification of support applications used by OIT.

Challenges:

• Budget issues – IPv6 may require application or equipment upgrades, with associated costs.
• Perception of the need for IPv6 adoption – an extended transition period may minimize the perceived criticality of IPv6 adoption.
• Troubleshooting – IPv6, as a new protocol, has been carefully deployed within OIT. Each application and connection, as IPv6 is adopted, offers new opportunities for learning and development.

OIT stands ready to advise and assist University of Minnesota colleges and departments in their adoption of IPv6. Town Hall meetings, individual consultation, and net-people updates are planned to keep the University community aware of network progress and comfortable with IPv6 adoption at all levels. Questions are welcome at oit-ipv6@umn.edu.
 

IPv6 Town Hall Presentation

On September 16, 2009, OIT hosted a town hall presentation to discuss adopting IPv6 at the University of Minnesota. You can view the slides (pdf) from that presentation.