Using a Caching-only Name Server

What Is a Caching-only Name Server?

A caching-only server is authoritative only for the local host, but it can automatically send requests to the Internet host handling name lookups for your domain.

In most situations, a caching-only name server sends queries directly to the name server that contains the answer. Because of its simplified nature, a DNS zone file is not created for a caching-only name server.

A caching-only name server is provided with MultiNet for OpenVMS. Once DNS is enabled, a caching-only server can begin processing data for your system without requiring further configuration. For most sites, this type of server is all that is required.

The server you select to use for caching must be reliable.

How Do You Enable a Caching-only Name Server?

If you want to specify a name server to answer queries, add a forwarders statement to the NAMED.CONF file. The forwarders statement redirects queries to the specified name server; that name server then queries the name server that contains the answer and caches a copy.

To add a forwarders line, follow these steps.

1. Using a text editor, add a forwarders statement to the options section of the DNS configuration file MULTINET:DOMAIN-NAME-SERVICE. CONFIGURATION that includes the IP address of the DNS server or servers to which name server requests are forwarded.

   For example, to add two servers with IP addresses 192.1.1.98 and 192.1.1.99 to your network, the forwarders line would be:

     ;  
     forwarders { 192.1.1.98; 192.1.1.99; };
     ;
   
   

2. Once the forwarders line is added, restart the master server:

     $ reply/enable=network/temporary
     $ multinet netcontrol domain restart