IPControl software provides an integrated DNS and network management solution. The USGS customer interface to IPControl can be found at: https://ipcontrol.usgs.gov:8443
Functions
IPControl is used to manage a set of 3 internal DNS servers (ns.cr.usgs.gov, ns.er.usgs.gov and ns.wr.usgs.gov), one in each region, which provide internal resolution for the usgs.gov DNS domain and regional subdomains.
These DNS servers also provide reverse tables for obtaining a hostname from an IP address, though this authority is being delegated to Active Directory when possible.
IPControl provides IPAM (IP Management) services to allow USGS to manage how network subnets are assigned within USGS and has the ability to delegate responsibility for assigning hostnames to IP addresses within the subnets to local network administrators.
The Data Managed by IPControl
- IPControl provides the internal view of the DNS domains usgs.gov and sciencebase.gov, this segregation of public and internal domains is referred to as “split horizon” DNS
- There are over 300 customer accounts in IPControl used to manage DNS and other information about devices on their networks
- IPControl is used to delegate DNS authority for subdomains, including but not limited to Active Directory, Total Uptime and Route 53 (AWS)
- Over 1000 subnets are defined in over 200 cities
Operation and Maintenance
IPControl was developed by BT Diamond (British Telecom) and subsequently sold to Cygna Labs with which whom USGS has an annually renewed maintenance contract, with costs based on number of appliances (5) and the number of devices with hostname definitions (>60,000). The software runs on a proprietary Linux version named Sapphire on server appliances shipped by BT Diamond to USGS.
The web interface is based on Java and the underlying database is implemented on MySQL. The server running the web and database processes is referred to by BT Diamond as the “Executive”. The executive is used to push out DNS changes to the 3 IPControl managed DNS servers, in Reston (the master), Sioux Falls and Menlo Park. These updates occur every 20 minutes, starting on the hour.
The DNS team manages an independent Linux server running a copy of the IPControl MySQL database which is refreshed nightly. That server provides a suite of web-based tools for performing DNS and IPControl queries:
https://dns.usgs.gov/
Support
IPControl is managed by the Enterprise DNS team. Contact: GS_Help_DNS@usgs.gov
DNS Team Web site:
https://doimspp.sharepoint.com/sites/usgs-EUS-Operations/edns/