Chapter 28. BIND Configuration

This chapter assumes that the reader has a basic understanding of BIND and DNS; it does not attempt to explain the concepts of BIND and DNS. This chapter does explain how to use the Domain Name Service Configuration Tool (redhat-config-bind) to configure basic BIND server zones. The Domain Name Service Configuration Tool creates the /etc/named.conf configuration file and the zone configuration files in the /var/named/ directory each time changes are applied.

ImportantImportant
 

Do not edit the /etc/named.conf configuration file. Domain Name Service Configuration Tool generates this file after changes are applied. To configure settings that are not configurable using Domain Name Service Configuration Tool, add them to the /etc/named.custom file.

The Domain Name Service Configuration Tool requires the X Window System and root access. To start the Domain Name Service Configuration Tool, go to the Main Menu Button (on the Panel) => System Settings => Server Settings => Domain Name Service or type the command redhat-config-bind at a shell prompt (for example, in an XTerm or GNOME Terminal).

Figure 28-1. Domain Name Service Configuration Tool

The Domain Name Service Configuration Tool configures the default zone directory to be /var/named/. All zone files specified are relative to this directory. The Domain Name Service Configuration Tool also includes basic syntax checking when values are entered. For example, if a valid entry is an IP address, only numbers and periods (.) are allowed in the text area.

The Domain Name Service Configuration Tool allows for the addition of a forward master zone, a reverse master zone, and a slave zone. After adding the zones, they can be edited or deleted from the main window as shown in Figure 28-1.

After adding, editing, or deleting a zone, click the Save button or select File => Save to write the /etc/named.conf configuration file and all the individual zone files in the /var/named/ directory. Saving changes also causes the named service to reload the configuration files. Selecting File => Quit saves the changes before quitting the application.

28.1. Adding a Forward Master Zone

To add a forward master zone (also known as a primary master), click the New button, select Forward Master Zone, and enter the domain name for the master zone in the Domain name text area.

A new window as shown in Figure 28-2 appears with the following options:

Figure 28-2. Adding a Forward Master Zone

A Primary Nameserver (SOA) must be specified, and at least one nameserver record must be specified by clicking the Add button in the Records section.

After configuring the Forward Master Zone, click OK to return to the main window as shown in Figure 28-1. From the pulldown menu, click Save to write the /etc/named.conf configuration file, write all the individual zone files in the /var/named directory, and have the daemon reload the configuration files.

The configuration creates an entry similar to the following in /etc/named.conf:

zone  "forward.example.com" { 
	type master; 
	file  "forward.example.com.zone"; 
};

It also creates the file /var/named/forward.example.com.zone with the following information:

$TTL 86400
@       IN      SOA     ns.example.com.  root.localhost (
                        2 ; serial
                        28800 ; refresh
                        7200 ; retry
                        604800 ; expire
                        86400 ; ttl
                        )


        IN      NS      192.168.1.1.