PowerDNS is an authoritative nameserver (distinct from the PowerDNS Recursor) that can be described as a core nameserver engine that utilizes one or more backends. Those backends support a myriad of database platforms and different nameserver emulators.
For example, there is a BIND backend to PowerDNS, which lets you run your server with native BIND-style zonefiles.
You can specify multiple backends and a query will be attempted in each backend, in order, until a match is found.
Finally, the end user can code their own custom backends for PowerDNS, making it one of the most versatile of the prime-time-ready nameservers we've ever worked with.
