Configuring a BIND DNS server is not a very difficult task but it can pose some problems if the principles of the DNS are not well understood. The BIND comes with almost any Linux distribution and it not, it can be installed easily.
I recommend you to start with a very basic DNS server first and learn how it works. BIND needs a rndc.key which can be found in the etc directory. This is very important file which establish the default communication channel and the authentication key that allows the rnds to communicate with named on the localhost. This is generated with the help of the command rndc-confgen.
The BIND comes also with the main configuration file which tells to the DNS server the main characteristics and where to look further for the zone files. This file is /etc/named.conf. Inside I can define a lots of parameters and mainly what exactly the DNS server will work as. For example I can have only a caching name server, I can have an authority name server or a forwarding name server.
Inside this file I explain to the name server where to look first. For example I must define the root name servers and also the local host. Without these my DNS server will not work properly. Then I begin to define the different file zone for which I want my name server to work with. I must also define the path where all the file zones will be stored. Usually they are stored in /var/named but this can be easily changed.
Next I pass to the configuration of the zone files. This is much to tell about this and there is a true art to have a properly configured zone file for a domain. I want only to specify that there are five major types of records which can be configured in the zone file. The NS records comes from the name server record and establishes which is the name server of the current domain. The A record is the mapping between the domain name and the IP and makes possible to find the domain. As you know computers communicate with IP's and not with names. With the A record they descend at internet layer from the TCP/IP protocol and can find where my domain is. Another record is the MX which establishes the mail server, and tells the location of the mail server if the domain has one. Another setting is the CNAME which is in fact an alias. With that one I can add different names to my domain and even subdomains. And finally but not lastly the PTR record is the pointer record. This is the reverse addressing and makes possible the translation from an IP to a domain. I very crucial. There is another record called SOA records and comes from the Start Of Authority. This is by far the most important record establishing the authority of the domain. It comprises serial numbers, intervals of checks and of renewal, expiration period and the minimum time that DNS should renew the information.
I recommend you to start with a very basic DNS server first and learn how it works. BIND needs a rndc.key which can be found in the etc directory. This is very important file which establish the default communication channel and the authentication key that allows the rnds to communicate with named on the localhost. This is generated with the help of the command rndc-confgen.
The BIND comes also with the main configuration file which tells to the DNS server the main characteristics and where to look further for the zone files. This file is /etc/named.conf. Inside I can define a lots of parameters and mainly what exactly the DNS server will work as. For example I can have only a caching name server, I can have an authority name server or a forwarding name server.
Inside this file I explain to the name server where to look first. For example I must define the root name servers and also the local host. Without these my DNS server will not work properly. Then I begin to define the different file zone for which I want my name server to work with. I must also define the path where all the file zones will be stored. Usually they are stored in /var/named but this can be easily changed.
Next I pass to the configuration of the zone files. This is much to tell about this and there is a true art to have a properly configured zone file for a domain. I want only to specify that there are five major types of records which can be configured in the zone file. The NS records comes from the name server record and establishes which is the name server of the current domain. The A record is the mapping between the domain name and the IP and makes possible to find the domain. As you know computers communicate with IP's and not with names. With the A record they descend at internet layer from the TCP/IP protocol and can find where my domain is. Another record is the MX which establishes the mail server, and tells the location of the mail server if the domain has one. Another setting is the CNAME which is in fact an alias. With that one I can add different names to my domain and even subdomains. And finally but not lastly the PTR record is the pointer record. This is the reverse addressing and makes possible the translation from an IP to a domain. I very crucial. There is another record called SOA records and comes from the Start Of Authority. This is by far the most important record establishing the authority of the domain. It comprises serial numbers, intervals of checks and of renewal, expiration period and the minimum time that DNS should renew the information.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Trif_Bogdan
No comments:
Post a Comment