cPanel to start requiring licenses for DNSonly

[whmcsguru]

Taking a look at this blog post by cPanel should probably have people using DNSonly quite a bit concerned. Shortly (who knows when, really), they're going to start requiring a valid license for this product.

They claim (of course) that they're not going to start charging, at least yet, but if you look at their blog entry (see above link), you'll see two statements that indicate tht yes, this is eventually going to happen

As we start to look more closely at our customer base, however, we see a significant problem: we lack any real insight into our DNSONLY customers.

Their "reason" for licensing these right there

When asked about "free" licenses:

We need more information before we can make any decisions at all.

So, this licensing information is being distributed to cPanel in order to give them the "information" they need so that they can start charging you for your DNSonly licenses

Thankfully, I ditched cPanel DNSonly quite some time ago, but this is just horrible behavior from this company

 

[24x7server]

Yes, looks like they will start charging DNSONLY servers soon. :/

 

[webconfigure]

Thanks for sharing this whmcsguru. There might be some new features and functionality will be introduced if they are going to provide the license for the DNSONLY.

Hope for the best! :/

 

[Harv45]

Thankfully, I ditched cPanel DNSonly quite some time ago, but this is just horrible behavior from this company

Unfortunately since they are better off than Plesk (the current "real" panel competitor at the time of this writing) we has to suffer this "vendor lock in" side effect.

At least until something else comes out (preferably open source) to have an alternative.

 

[easyhostmedia]

according to cpanel tech they are looking at linking DNSonly to a full cpanel licence, so you would need an active full cpanel licence to run a DNSonly installation.

I used to have DNSonly on my backup server, but now use CentosWebPanel

 

[Harv45]

according to cpanel tech they are looking at linking DNSonly to a full cpanel licence, so you would need an active full cpanel licence to run a DNSonly installation.

I used to have DNSonly on my backup server, but now use CentosWebPanel

I see that does clear things a little but it probably still "up in the air" of what the final model will be.

 

[easyhostmedia]

I see that does clear things a little but it probably still "up in the air" of what the final model will be.

Yes, most likely be one of the options they will be looking at as what happens if you dont have cpanel and just want a DNS server, does that mean you have to purchase a full cpanel licence to use DNS only ( as if this is the case then you may as well just use cpanel/whm)

 

[whmcsguru]

according to cpanel tech they are looking at linking DNSonly to a full cpanel licence, so you would need an active full cpanel licence to run a DNSonly installation.

No they're not. Whoever told you that is lying to you.

They claim 'fraud', but you can't BE fraudulent with a free license. Not possible.

They simply want to collect information from their customers so that they can charge more.

 

[easyhostmedia]

No they're not. Whoever told you that is lying to you.

They claim 'fraud', but you can't BE fraudulent with a free license. Not possible.

They simply want to collect information from their customers so that they can charge more.

I was told my a cpanel tech when i contacted them about an issue with whm on one of my server and i asked him about the DNS only changes.

They will be looking a various options.

The blog only mentions licencing DNSonly, it does not say they will be charging, so linking it with an active cpanel licence is a good valid option. it may be a case of purchasing a cpanel licence with DNSonly licence for something like $17 rather than $15 for just a CP licence, but until cpanel issue something concrete then we will not know

 

[easyhostmedia]

They claim 'fraud', but you can't BE fraudulent with a free license. Not possible.

but you could commit fraud with a server which has DNSonly installed

 

[Harv45]

but you could commit fraud with a server which has DNSonly installed

Ahh you means like using the DNSOnly functions to adjust records and such to facilitate fraudulent activity?

If that's the case now I understand why Cpanel is coming up on how to go about that. Because unfortunately free licenses is "convenience" fraudsters to commit these for obvious reasons.

If it all requires a valid Cpanel license key for all your DNSOnly installations then I could see this discouraging yet doing minimal impact.

 

[whmcsguru]

but you could commit fraud with a server which has DNSonly installed

So? That's not cPanel's issue, or concern.
DNSonly is only a service. cPanel are not the global police. They only need be concerned with what is happening with THEIR product. Nothing else.

Since DNSonly simply does queries and provides nameserver lookups, there's no 'fraud' there.

 

[Harv45]

So? That's not cPanel's issue, or concern.
DNSonly is only a service. cPanel are not the global police. They only need be concerned with what is happening with THEIR product. Nothing else.

Since DNSonly simply does queries and provides nameserver lookups, there's no 'fraud' there.

It's is, DNSOnly IS their products and therefore their reputation is at risk. Should such activity be left unattended.

 

[whmcsguru]

You can't commit fraud through DNSonly, good LORD, that's just ridiculous

 

[easyhostmedia]

You can't commit fraud through DNSonly, good LORD, that's just ridiculous

yes you can use the server to commit fraud.

I have ever heard of DNS Highjacking

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNS_hijacking

https://www.izoologic.com/2016/08/08/dns-hijacking-spoofing-pharming-attacks/

also read this


https://www.wired.com/2017/04/hackers-hijacked-banks-entire-online-operation/

 

[zomgmike]

cPanel is giving fewer and fewer reasons to use them as time goes on.

Free or lower cost alternatives are now my first thought rather than cPanel. This just adds to the dogpile of reasons to consider going another route. I recently had a good experience with centos-webpanel.com, which is free.

 

[easyhostmedia]

cPanel is giving fewer and fewer reasons to use them as time goes on.

Free or lower cost alternatives are now my first thought rather than cPanel. This just adds to the dogpile of reasons to consider going another route. I recently had a good experience with centos-webpanel.com, which is free.

yes, but they are still the number 1 choice.

yes CWP is good and allows you to migrate cpanel accounts

 

[Harv45]

cPanel is giving fewer and fewer reasons to use them as time goes on.

Free or lower cost alternatives are now my first thought rather than cPanel. This just adds to the dogpile of reasons to consider going another route. I recently had a good experience with centos-webpanel.com, which is free.

But sadly it still not a "drop in" replacement of Cpanel. I still don't even get how to do multi PHP for example on that awkward panel.

But with time I hoping a paid opensource panel does come along just like how Blesta monetize.

 

[easyhostmedia]

But with time I hoping a paid opensource panel does come along just like how Blesta monetize.

Thing with Blesta is that its a 1 man operation otherwise it could be a great platform

 

[Harv45]

Thing with Blesta is that its a 1 man operation otherwise it could be a great platform

Excuse me? But I know for a fact that there are more than one person doing it.

As much as I dislike some of what Blesta is not doing, that still doesn't give us the rights to slander them though.