From: Pieter Lexis <pieter@plexis.eu>
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 06:15:37 +0000 (+0200)
Subject: Rewrite the Auth intro
X-Git-Tag: rec-3.7.0-rc1~161^2^2~23
X-Git-Url: https://granicus.if.org/sourcecode?a=commitdiff_plain;h=fdfe7416a767f643c98a5db3e68a2e35a1041190;p=pdns

Rewrite the Auth intro
---

diff --git a/pdns/docs/markdown/authoritative/index.md b/pdns/docs/markdown/authoritative/index.md
index 572c50c66..ba04e5458 100644
--- a/pdns/docs/markdown/authoritative/index.md
+++ b/pdns/docs/markdown/authoritative/index.md
@@ -1,5 +1,46 @@
-PowerDNS Authoritative Nameserver
-=================================
-The PowerDNS Authoritative Server is a versatile nameserver which supports a large number of backends. These backends can either be plain zone files or be more dynamic in nature. 
+# PowerDNS Authoritative Nameserver
+The PowerDNS Authoritative Server is a versatile nameserver which supports a large number of backends. These backends can either be plain zone files or be more dynamic in nature.
 
 Prime examples of backends include relational databases, but also (geographical) load balancing and failover algorithms.
+
+# Backends
+PowerDNS has the concepts of 'backends'. A backend is a datastore that the server will consult that contains DNS records (and some meta-data).
+The backends range from database backends (Mysql, PostGreSQL, Oracle) and Bind-zonefiles to co-processes and JSON API's.
+
+Multiple backends can be enabled in the configuration by using the `[launch](settings.md#launch)` option. Each backend can be configured separetly.
+
+## Backend Capabilities
+The following table describes the capabilitie of the backends.
+
+| Name | Status | Native | Master | Slave | Superslave | Autoserial | DNSSEC | Disabled Data | Comments | Launch Name |
+|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
+| BIND | Supported | Yes | Yes | Experimental | No | Yes | No | No | No | `bind` |
+| DB2 | Unsupported | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | `db2` |
+| MySQL | Supported | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | `gmysql` |
+| PostGreSQL | Supported | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | `gpgsql` |
+| Geo | Beta | Partial | No | No | No | No | Unknown (No) | Yes (no key storage) | Unknown (No) | Unknown (No) | `geo` |
+| SQLite 2 | Supported (not recommended) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | `gsqlite` |
+| SQLite 3 | Supported | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes  | Yes | `gsqlite3` |
+| LDAP | Unmaintained | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Unknown (No) | Unknown (No) | Unknown |
+| LMDB | Supported | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Unknown (No) | Unknown (No) | `lmdb`|
+| Oracle | Supported | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Unknown (No) | No | `oracle` |
+| Pipe | Supported | Yes | No | No | No | No | Partial (no delegation, no key storage) | No | No | `pipe` |
+| Random | Supported | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes (no key storage) | No | No | `random` |
+| Remote | Supported | Yes | Yes\* | Yes\* | Yes\* | Yes\* | Yes\* | Unknown (No) | Unknown(No) | `remote` |
+| TinyDNS | Experimental | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Unknown (No) | Unknown (No) | `tinydns` |
+
+\*: Please read the backend-specific documentation.
+
+### Native, Master, Slave, Superslave
+Which [Mode of Operation](modes-of-operation.md) (DNS data replication) is supported.
+
+### Autoserial
+
+### DNSSEC
+Is serving DNSSEC signed data supported?
+
+### Disabled Data
+Can a record be marked 'disabled' and not be served but still be in the datastore?
+
+### Comments
+Are comments on records supported?
diff --git a/pdns/docs/markdown/index.md b/pdns/docs/markdown/index.md
index 8a10611cb..9631f2a5e 100644
--- a/pdns/docs/markdown/index.md
+++ b/pdns/docs/markdown/index.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # PowerDNS Nameserver
 
-PowerDNS (PDNS) consists of two parts: the [Authoritative Server](authoritative/index.md) and the Recursor. Other nameservers fully combine these functions, PowerDNS offers them separately, but can mix both authoritative and recursive usage seamlessly. The Authoritative Server will answer questions about domains it knows about, but will not go out on the net to resolve queries about other domains. However, it can use a recursing backend to provide that functionality. Depending on your needs, this backend can either be the PowerDNS recursor or an external one.
-
+PowerDNS (PDNS) consists of two parts: the [Authoritative Server](authoritative/index.md) and the [Recursor](recursor/index.md). While most other nameservers fully combine these functions, PowerDNS offers them separately, but can mix both authoritative and recursive usage seamlessly.
+The Authoritative Server will answer questions about domains it knows about, but will not go out on the net to resolve queries about other domains. However, it can use a recursing backend to provide that functionality. Depending on your needs, this backend can either be the PowerDNS recursor or an external one.
 When the Authoritative Server answers a question, it comes out of the database, and can be trusted as being authoritative. There is no way to pollute the cache or to confuse the daemon.
 
 The Recursor, conversely, by default has no knowledge of domains itself, but will always consult other authoritative servers to answer questions given to it.