Configuring DNS with named8


Contents

About this document
Migrating to 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:
  1. 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
    
  2. 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
    
  3. 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.

    1. 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
      
    2. If the fileset is not installed, download it from fix distribution and install.

    3. 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;
      };
      
  4. 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 ]