system-config-bind doesn't update /var/named.conf

[fjleal]

I was setting up a DNS server on a FC2 x86_64 box, and I realized that the configuration done in system-config-bind (the RedHat DNS GUI configuration tool) doesn't change the contents of /var/named.conf, nor does it create the /var/named/*.zone files it should. Yet when I close the GUI and reopen it, the information is there. But of course named is unable to return any IPs.

I tried it on a i686 box and it works. Could it be a bug in the x86_64 implementation? Did anyone else also find this problem?

Thanks.

[robghealey]

I do not have an answer to your problem, but I would like to get the documentation that you used to set up your own dynamic dns server? I am using FC1 on i686, so it should work just fine...

Thanks a million,
Rob

[fjleal]

Hi, Rob! Yes, setting up BIND in Linux is (should be) always the same. There are a lot of books and HOW-TOs on the net about it, but you may start by reading your system's documentation (provided you installed it) on /usr/share/doc/system-config-bind-2.0.2/index.html.

Keep in mind the configuration you do with system-config-bind is (well, should be, except on the x86_64) written to the /etc/named.conf file, and each zone you configure there is supposed to have a descriptive file in /var/named/.

When I set up my first BIND on a RedHat system, I read a book called "Red Hat Linux Administration - A Beginner's Guide", from McGraw-Hill, by Michael Turner and Steve Shah. It doesn't go very deep on the subjects, but it gives you a nice introduction about DNS, NIS, HTTP, FTP, network configurations, etc., on a RedHat 8 box (Fedora is still similar). Hope it helps...

[jeru]

Thats because it is a chroot'ed enviroment with FC2. (jailed)

"/var/named/chroot/" = "/" to bind

a.k.a.

/var/named/*.zone = /var/named/chroot/var/named/*.zone

If it's not working right, it is not setup right. (don't trust bind to the redhat gui, or any gui... You'll miss the semi simple knowledge of how to really make it work as well as much of its functionality)

As far as DDNS, are you asking for normal DDNS robghealey? Or a not so normal thing such as Dynaip.com (or whatever those things are) DDNS for me is my local subnet getting IP's assigned by isc's dhcpd, and once it does assign that IP, modify a zone record with a host having a TTL that matches the dhcp lease so everything resolves correctly without depending on tshosts/WINS from samba or whatever. If your wanting what I do via dhcp, then I can help you. You can do more secure ways through 'hooks' and whatnot, but like dynaip.com... thore require alternative software on the client end. (like a little peice of software with the hash/key to modify an open dns servers host records) Anyways, I don't know a whole lot about that other than the concept of how to get it working. (never actually done anything like it)

Anyways, here are the first things that popped up on google for what I think your asking for.
http://fedoranews.org/contributors/derek_pienaar/ddns/
http://www.ezunix.org/modules.php?op...rtid=63&page=1
http://www.mattfoster.clara.co.uk/ddns.htm

[robghealey]

Dear jeru:

I am not sure if I can explain this as well as I should, but I certainly hope that you will understand what I am trying to do anyway!

When I am on the interenet, and I type a url, it goes to the TLD nameservers and returns the ip number. I want dns to check with my computer first, then TLD nameservers. If my compuer doesn't know what it is then add it. It is suppose to make your computer run so much faster because my machine would do most of the name/ip resolution itself. It is called caching dns name server... I think!

Sincerely,
Rob

[fjleal]

Rob, you can use several sources for domain names resolution, including your /etc/hosts file and a DNS server. The way your machine does that is dictated by your /etc/resolv.conf file. This file has 2 lines: the first indicates the default search domain; the second the IP of the machine's name server. Please note if you're using DHCP, this file is changed by tour DHCP client software.

Also, you may want to take a look at /etc/nsswitch.conf - this file dictates the order in which certain information sources should be looked for. If you see a line, for instance, like

hosts: files dns nis

, then your system is using the /etc/hosts file first, then the DNS server, and NIS by last.

Hope it helps...

[fjleal]

Originally Posted by jeru

Thats because it is a chroot'ed enviroment with FC2. (jailed)

"/var/named/chroot/" = "/" to bind

a.k.a.

/var/named/*.zone = /var/named/chroot/var/named/*.zone

Thanks, jeru! Today I had the chance to verify that on my x86_64 box system-config-bind updates /var/named/chroot/..." instead of "/var/named", like you suggested. But what configuration files does named read, /etc/named.conf or /var/named/chroot/etc/named.conf? Because in the first one there's a configuration for a caching name server, while in the second one there are only the zones I defined... Still using "host" and "dig" doesn't answer me with the hosts I set up.

Any ideas? Thanks!

[jeru]

ignore anything /etc/*.... The only thing named knows about and can access is /var/named/chroot/

So if you have configurations in your /etc/named.conf that are not in your /var/named/chroot/etc/named.conf.... Merge all of your settings into the second one