Configuring DNS with named8

About this document

This document discusses the main differences between named8 and named4.

AIX provides two name server daemons, the named4 daemon and the named8 daemon. While both provide the same service of domain-name resolution, the named8 daemon supports the more robust configuration file named.conf. The named8 daemon is also more current, supporting newer specifications, and containing many security fixes. The named4 daemon is being phased out of service in support of the named8 daemon, and as a result, users are encouraged to migrate their name server installations to the newer configuration format.

This document applies to AIX Versions 4.3.x and newer.

Migrating to named8

Selection of which name server daemon to use is controlled by the /usr/sbin/named and /usr/sbin/named-xfer symbolic links. By default, these are links to the named4 and named4-xfer executables, but can be changed to reference the named8 and named8-xfer executables. Note that it is required that both symbolic links are changed in tandem, as the version 4 name server is not compatible with the version 8 zone transfer, and visa-versa.

NOTE: The named8 daemon can be controlled using the System Resource Controller (SRC) or the System Management Interface Tool (SMIT). Use the rc.tcpip file to start the daemon with each system startup.

Complete the following steps as root:

Enter:

cd /usr/sbin

If you look at named in this directory, it is linked to named4 by default. Enter:

ls -l name*

Information similar to the following is displayed:

lrwxrwxrwx  1 root   system   16 Feb 03 12:12 named -> /usr/sbin/named4
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root   system   21 Feb 03 12:12 named-xfer -> /usr/sbin/named4-xfer

Change this so it is linked to named8. Enter:

ln -sf /usr/sbin/named8 /usr/sbin/named

ln -sf /usr/sbin/named8-xfer /usr/sbin/named-xfer

They are now linked to named8. Enter:

ls -l name*

Information similar to the following is displayed:

lrwxrwxrwx  1 root   system   16 Feb 23 16:56 named -> /usr/sbin/named8
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root   system   21 Feb 23 16:59 named-xfer -> /usr/sbin/named8-xfer

The next step is to convert your old /etc/named.boot into /etc/named.conf. AIX provides a script under /usr/samples/tcpip called named-bootconf.pl that does this automatically.

NOTE: Make sure you back up your old /etc/named.boot before you use the script.

First you need to have the following fileset perl.rte installed on the system. Enter:

lslpp -l perl.rte

If this fileset is installed, the following information will display:

Fileset                  Level   State    Description         
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Path: /usr/lib/objrepos
perl.rte                5.5.3.0 COMMITTED Perl Version 5 Runtime Environment

If the fileset is not installed, download it from fix distribution and install.

Otherwise, you will need to create the named.conf manually. Enter:

cd /usr/samples/tcpip

./named-bootconf.pl /etc/named.boot >/etc/named.conf

Here is a copy of the old /etc/named.boot. Enter:

view /etc/named.boot

primary         test.com                        /etc/named.data
primary         3.2.1.in-addr.arpa              /etc/named.rev
primary         0.0.127.in-addr.arpa            /etc/named.local
forwarders      9.53.183.2
slave

The new file named.conf will look like this. Enter:

view /etc/named.conf

// generated by named-bootconf.pl

options {
	    forward only;
   		forwarders {
   	    9.53.183.2;
   	    };
};

zone "test.com" {
	    type master;
   		file "/etc/named.data";
};

zone "3.2.1.in-addr.arpa" {
	    type master;
};

The last thing you must do is stop and start named, so the changes can take effect. Enter:
```
stopsrc -s named
```
The following is displayed:
```
0513-044 The named Subsystem was requested to stop.
```
Enter the following command:
```
startsrc -s named
```
The following is displayed:
```
0513-059 The named Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 6890.
```
The rest of the files associated with DNS keep the same format.

[ Doc Ref: 95626310013480 Publish Date: Jun. 06, 2000 4FAX Ref: 8560 ]

Configuring DNS with named8

Contents

About this document

Migrating to named8