Re: [cobalt-users] DNS Replication

[Kul <Webmaster@xxxxxxx>]

CSN Support wrote:

> How do you setup a Raq to pull it's records from another Raq and actually
> get it to copy the records to it's own server.  I mean, otherwise if your
> primary Raq fails, then you'd have no DNS records unless they were copied
> over to another Raq as things changed.
>
> Thanks,
> Robert
>
> -<snip>

Hi Robert,

I think what you are talking about is the standard dns setup.
What typically happens with the dns system is that each domain has two or more nameservers listed in its own zone as locations where an identicle copy of the said information can be found. (Two is the typical number of NameServers, but some domains only REQUIRE one.  However **one** NameServer is concidered wildly dangerous, and most people opt for 2 or more NameServers to look after the master and slave('s) zones.)

You should have noticed when registering domains that many registras give you the option of including two or more NameServers (usual format is ns1, and ns2.somedoman.com)  NOTE: these NameServers have to be registered and assigned to an IP.  (One NameServer per IP).

As seen as you have two Raq's, you can set each Raq as a NameServer (if you wish), and use ONE raq as the MASTER(primary) NameServer and the other as the SLAVE(secondary....) NameServer.  Then you create the zone (a domains dns record) on the MASTER NameServer, and subsequently create a zone on the SLAVE.  This zone on the slave NameServer is initally just an instruction for it to go and collect a copy from the master nameserver, which it usually will do immediatly.  Then the original zone contains details about itself, that the secondary nameserver willunderstand, like how often it should check for updates of itself etc (typically the raq3's is 24 hours- default I remember)

If you have not setup a NameServer before, I strongly recommend you look around and do some reading before you dive in, because if you make a mistake setting up a nameserver (assinging it to an IP), it can take months (sometimes many) to get the mistakes revoked !   You may want to read the cobalt maunuals too !   Search google or such for some plain english explanations for dns systems and nameservers.  I would recommed you do this in advance of setting it up, it will save you many hours of pulling your hair out wondering why nothing is happening.

Try here, the pdf manuals explain much of the dns basics in moderatly plain english:
http://emea.cobalt.com/support/resources/howtos.html

Have Fun
--
Regards,
Kul