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Berkeley Internet Name Domain (BIND)
An Introduction


Prof. David Bernstein
James Madison University

Computer Science Department
bernstdh@jmu.edu

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Overview
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  • Purpose:
    • resolver - client-side library routines (used, for example, by nslookup and WWW browsers)
    • named - server-side name daemon
  • Configuration Types:
    • Master - authoritative server for the zone
    • Slave - read-only copy of the authoritative server
    • Caching Only
    • Resolver Only (i.e., no local caching)
Configuring the Resolver
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  • Location:
    • Usually in the file /etc/resolv.conf
  • Contents:
    • Up to 3 nameserver addresses
      For example: nameserver 134.126.30.11
    • Default domain names (i.e., suffixes to add)
      For example: domain cs.jmu.edu
    • Domains to search (rather than suffixes to add)
      For example: search cs.jmu.edu
Configuring the Name Daemon
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  • Location:
    • Usually in the file /etc/named.conf or in the file /var/named/chroot/etc/named.conf
  • Contents:
    • One options block
    • Multiple zone blocks
Configuring the Name Daemon (cont.)
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  • Required Zones:
    • Root Zone Initialization (/var/named/root.hint or /var/named/chroot/var/named/root.hint)
    • Localhost Forward Lookup (/var/lib/named/localhost.zone or /var/named/chroot/var/named/localhost.zone)
    • Localhost Reverse Lookup (/var/lib/named/127.0.0.zone or /var/named/chroot/var/named/127.0.0.zone)
  • Authority Zones:
    • Root Zone Forward Lookup (/var/lib/named/filiastellae.zone or /var/named/chroot/var/named/filiastellae.zone)
    • Root Zone Reverse Lookup (/var/lib/named/192.168.1.zone or /var/named/chroot/var/named/192.168.1.zone)
Precedence
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  • Default:
    1. Check the hosts file
    2. Check the cache
    3. Query the DNS
  • Modifying:
    • Change the order in /etc/nsswitch.conf
Starting/Stopping the Name Daemon
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  • Syntax: Click here for information.
    • /etc/init.d/named [start | stop | restart ]
  • When?
    • Usually when the system is started (depending on the run level) which is usually controlled by the file /etc/rc.d
There's Always More to Learn
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