Category: Changes on the LB platform

LogicBoxes have been busy upgrading/improving the DNS infrastructure, this blog contains important information about changes you and your resellers must make for your branded nameservers (if using the FreeDNS service); please read through it in detail.

The importance of a stable and robust DNS service for any domain name or website can not be underestimated. In light of recent events that affected the DNS service, LB have been working towards enhancing our DNS infrastructure. The changes LB are about to implement will considerably improve DNS capability, which will ensure better reliability for all dependent services.

Salient features

• The DNS servers will be hosted at three geographically distributed locations across east, west and central USA
• They will now be able to process well over 10 Gbps of data, to facilitate faster DNS resolution
• There will be 4 IP addresses assigned for each of the nameservers, instead of the current set of 3

The infrastructure setup for these servers is complete; your branded nameservers must now be updated to bring the changes into effect.

For partially branded nameservers

If you’re using only the partially branded nameservers, such as <some_prefix>.mercury.orderbox-dns.com, you do not have to do anything – LB shall make all the necessary changes.

For fully branded nameservers

If you’re using fully branded nameservers of the type ns1.domain.com, the IP addresses for these must be updated for the changes to take effect. Please do the following

1. Update all the child nameserver entries, so that each nameserver uses the corresponding new IP addresses listed in the table below
2. Using the DNS management services for the parent domain of your child nameservers, update the A records for each child nameserver to use the new IP addresses

(Note: The old IP addresses marked in red will no longer be used)

How soon must you do this?

The new IP addresses are already functional, so you can make the changes immediately. The old IP addresses will be decommissioned after 07/11/2011 (7th November, 2011), so the changes must be completed before this date. This is extremely important, because after 07/11/2011, requests to the old IP addresses may not be answered, which would adversely impact domain names using your branded nameservers.

Please forward the information in this email to your resellers, so they may make the necessary changes to their branded nameservers as well.

Effective August 17th 2011, LogicBoxes will be modifying the Free Email feature that is available with Domain Names. As per this new implementation, all new Domain Registrations will be offered up to 2 Free Email Accounts with a maximum mail space of 100MB per account.

LogicBoxes believe this change will allow Customers to try the email services offered and encourage them to upgrade to a paid Email Hosting package. The Free Email feature is optional and you can learn more about it : http://manage.netearthone.com/kb/servlet/KBServlet/cat118.html.

Impact on Existing Free Packages

There will be no impact on Existing Free Email packages and they will continue to function normally. However, if a Free Email Package has not been activated on an existing Domain, the new implementation will apply.

As part of LB’s ongoing campaign against abuse and to ensure the security of our users’ email services, LB are planning to impose a stricter password policy for email accounts hosted with us. As a result of this change, the system will no longer allow passwords of the type that could be deemed vulnerable to sabotage attempts. Email account passwords must fulfill the following criteria henceforth –

1. The password must contain at least 8 characters (and can be up to 32 characters long).
2. The password can not contain the email prefix in its exact form. For instance, if your email address were john@yourdomain.com, then your password can not contain the word john.
3. The password must contain at least one alphabet (a-z in upper or lowercase), and at least one numeral (0-9).

To make communication with the end user easier for you, LB will shortly send a white-labeled advisory to all email users whose passwords do not satisfy these criteria, alerting them to update their password on or before March 20th, 2011. This email will be sent from do_not_reply@domainame.tld, For example if the domain name is xyz.com then the mail will be sent from do_not_reply@xyz.com and will include the new password criteria. It will not include any links.

If the users do not change their password then the password will be reset and a new password will be sent to the alternate email address of the end user.

LB will be displaying appropriate banners in the control panel and webmail of the end user as well.

We recommend that you contact your customers and inform them about this policy change. If you have any questions about this process, please contact our support team and we’d be happy to answer your queries.

Dear Reseller,

On the 8th of March a number of updates will be happening to the platform API which may affect both API users and module users (WHMCS, AWBS, etc).
The first change is applicable to the SOAP API only. It will now have IP restrictions, the same as the HTTP API.

If you use the API or a module then please do the following:
1. Login to the NetEarth One control panel.
2. Settings -> API -> HTTP
3. Enter your server’s IP (the server running the module or connecting to the API).
4. Hit submit to save the changes.

If you are already using the most recent version of the WHMCS module then you may have already added your IP for using the DNS functionality.
Please note the HTTP IP restrictions applies to BOTH the HTTP and the SOAP APIs.

The second change is also applicable to only the SOAP API. The URLs for using the API have now changed.

The new end point URLs are as follows:
https://soapapi.com/anacreon/servlet/APIv3
http://soapapi.com/anacreon/servlet/APIv3

SOAP users need to update their URL to one of the above. Please note the WSDL files have NOT changed and thus all that is required is the URL change.
If you are using the most recent version of WHMCS you will not need to update as the newest version of WHMCS has the updated URLs. Those using older versions of WHMCS please update your copy to receive the updated module.

If you are using AWBS then please update the URL in your settings for the NetEarth One module.

Any other billing platforms please update the URL where applicable or contact the billing platform support for assistance.

We will be launching a new independent module for WHMCS within the next few weeks which will offer new functionality and support direct from ourselves. The new module will also feature SSLReseller (http://www.sslreseller.com) integration.

If you have any questions then please contact us and we’ll be happy to assist.

Dear Reseller,

As of this morning (10/01/2011) LogicBoxes (our platform provider) have launched their new web hosting and email bands.

As a result of this we have had to introduce new pricing. The following tables will make the pricing changes as transparent as possible:

Windows/Linux Web and Email Hosting

Email Only Hosting

We have also removed the Website Builder from our product offering. Logicboxes new plans and pricing for this product were not competitive and therefore we took the decision offering it would not be viable.

This change in pricing will only affect resellers that sell any of the following products through the platform; Linux hosting, Windows hosting, email hosting and web site builder.

For those of you that use the API or a billing application with your own hosting solutions, this change will most likely not impact you.

For those that this affects please make sure to set your new pricing accordingly. If you have any questions or concerns then feel free to contact us.

Thank you,

NetEarth Group

Dear Reseller,

Owing to the vast impact of the deprecation of Website Builder and Hosting Slabs, LB’s partners have requested them to postpone the launch of the Web Services i.e the new Website Builder and Custom Plans for Hosting and Website Builder.

They’re currently taking a decision internally on an appropriate time to launch the new Website Builder and Custom Plans and this will be conveyed to you soon.

SuperSite Impact:

For Resellers who have translated the SuperSite into languages other than English, we will provide you with an adequate time window to effectively translate the new as well as revised content before Web Services is made live.

Website Builder Deprecation:

After the Web Services launch your Customers will have to login to a separate interface with a new set of credentials to manage their existing packages. They can obtain these login details by visiting: http://resourceserver.org/websitebuilder

Once on this page,

• They will have to enter their Control Panel Username and Password
• They will then receive the new login details via email

Please share this link with your Customers to allow them to generate their new login credentials.