[CentOS] DNS Server Recommendations

[Hugh E Cruickshank]

From: Robert Spangler Sent: August 14, 2009 16:18
> On Friday 14 August 2009 17:17, Hugh E Cruickshank wrote:
> 
> >  Here are my questions...
> >
> >  1. Is the BIND master/slave the appropriate approach?
> 
> Yes, you should already have something like this in case the
> main/master server would fail.

I did have two independent DNS servers. One on our primary development
server and one on our old production server. We have replaced the old
production server but have not pulled it from service yet. I am now 
in the process of ensuring that all functionality of the old server has
been migrated to either the new production servers or some place else.
My current efforts on revising our internal DNS service is part of
this review process.

> >  2. Can I have each subnet be a master for itself and a slave for
> >     the other subnet?
> 
> DNS is about domains not subnets.  If each subnet was going to 
> have it's own domain then the answer could be 'yes'.

My bad! In my own mind I have been treating the two locations as
domains while they are in fact only subnets. It should not take too
much effort to translate my thinking to fact.

> >  3. Any pointers to applicable docs/examples?
> 
> The ones that ship with the Bind package are good from what I 
> understand. I have not looked at them so I cannot say one way or
> the other. If you are looking for a good book on the subject I would
> highly recommend O'Reilly's DNS and BIND 5th edition.

As soon as I saw your book recommendation there was the sound of a
loud "AARRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!" followed closely by the some mutterings
that sounded much like "I have that book! Why did I not think of it
in the first place! Now where frack did I put it?". Of course knowing
me by the time I find it I will have forgotten why I was looking for
it (and will be an old edition to boot).

> 
> >  4. Can you recommend a "front end" for BIND (we have webmin
> >     installed but I have yet to start working with it)?
> 
> How large is this domain and how many domains are there going to be?
> Is the DNS server going to be updated automatically or by hand?

It is not large probably less than 50 devices in total. The only
automatic updating that I can foresee would be from the DHCP server.
the only reason I asked about this was that I was thinking that it
might be easier to administer and ensure valid BIND config files.

Thanks for your input.

Regards, Hugh

-- 
Hugh E Cruickshank, Forward Software, www.forward-software.com