Process Software - Domain Name System (DNS) Index

Simple DNS Configuration Example

Most sites require only a simple DNS configuration. Following is an example of the MultiNet out-of-the-box configuration:

Set your domain name server to be 127.0.0.1 (your loopback address) with:

  $ MULTINET CONFIGURE
  NET-CONFIG> SET DOMAIN-NAMESERVERS 127.0.0.1
  NET-CONFIG> EXIT
  $ DEFINE/SYSTEM/EXECUTIVE MULTINET_NAMESERVERS "127.0.0.1"
  $ Define/System/Exec/NoLog UCX$BIND_SERVER000 "127.0.0.1"
  $ Define/System/Exec/NoLog TCPIP$BIND_SERVER000 "127.0.0.1"

Editt the file MULTINET:NAMED.CONF to look like the following example:

/*
**  MULTINET:NAMED.CONF
**  Sample configuration file for a caching-only name server.
**
**  NOTE: Do not edit NAMED_CONF.DEFAULT. Copy this to NAMED.CONF first.
**  NAMED_CONF.DEFAULT is replaced when MultiNet is re-installed.
*/

options {
  /* The following are defaults, but shown for examples */
  fake-iquery no;
  check-names master fail;
  check-names slave warn;
  check-names response ignore;

  /* get bind4-like behavior of listing local nets first */
  sortlist {
    { localhost; localnets; };
    { localnets; };
  };

  /* round-robin A,NS,MX records only */
  rrset-order {
    class IN type A  name "*" order cyclic;
    class IN type NS name "*" order cyclic;
    class IN type MX name "*" order cyclic;
    order fixed;
  };
};

/* disable the default control socket */
controls {
  inet 127.0.0.1 port 101 allow { none; };
};


zone "." in {
  type hint;
  file "MULTINET:DOMAIN-NAME-SERVICE.CACHE";
};

zone "0.0.127.in-addr.arpa" in {
  type master;
  file "MULTINET:DOMAIN-NAME-SERVICE.LOCAL";
};

/*
**  Uncomment the following lines if you have problems resolving
**  LOCALHOST as a domain name.
*/

//zone "localhost" in {
//  type master;
//  file "MULTINET:DOMAIN-NAME-SERVICE.LOCALHOST";
//};

If your system is connected to the Internet, your name server automatically finds the authoritative name servers for any domain and caches the results of all queries for later use. As long as your host can talk to the root name servers, there is no need to have a forwarders option. A server configured as described is called a caching-only name server.

If you are not connected to the Internet, then the simple out-of-the-box caching-only configuration will not work, as you will be unable to contact the Internet root name servers. Instead, configure your system to have a forwarder and use the forward-only option, by editing the NAMED.CONF file and adding the following to the options section:

    forwarders { 192.42.95.1; };
    forward only;

Note: The forwarders line is a list of IP addresses of other name servers in your DNS on which your server will rely. Only one forwarders line is permitted. To specify multiple servers, separate their addresses with colons. Add the "forward only" line to protect your server from trying to directly contact other name servers.

For more information, see these related Technical Tips: