Re: [cobalt-users] secondary DNS server

[Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Rod Poplarchick wrote:

> We set up the primary and secondary servers and entered all DNS records (MX
> and A)on each server (Basically mirrored each DNS server in manually) But I
> thought this was a pain in the ass. Plus have to make all the (SOA) settings
> for secondary.

It definitely is a royal pain.  That's why you should just set up
secondary records on the server doing the secondarying, and let the RaQ
doing the secondarying get it's own DNS records; you just have to keep
track of the primaries.  Chris Gebhardt explains how to do it.

>  Question:
>  Why does the Raq3 GUI have the default "Primary Name Server (NS) Host Name"
> as www.domain.com in the Start of Authority (SOA) Configuration settings?

The RaQ, by default, uses the hostname.domainname of the primary site on
your Raq.  Yes, it would be better if it let you set up a default.

You can easily change them manually, by doing a search/replace on all
the entries in /etc/named/records, and then "saving changes" from the
gui.  You can add a secondary nameserver for one of the domains using
the gui, and then look at the records in the /etc/named/records file for
that one domain, and do some quick changes with your editing to the same
records file for the other domains.  Be careful, know what you're doing,
and keep backups.

You can change the master the RaQ uses when you create new domain
records (sorry I don't know where it is) to use your own defaults.

> Questions:
> Do I have to enter every MX and A record for every domain that is on the
> primary on the Secondary DNS server?

No.  As Chris Gebhardt pointed out, you can just use "secondary" records
on the secondary server.

> Or do I just use the Add Secondary Name Service for Domain? CAN ANY ONE
> PLEASE TELL ME WHAT TO PUT NEXT TO "Domain Name" THE HELP TEXT SHOWS (Enter
> the name of the domain for which to provide secondary name service.) Is this
> the name of the domain that this server will be secondary to?

The domain name is the name of domain you're providing secondary for. 
For example, if you're hosting domain1.com, then on the machine you're
using for secondary dns you create secondary DNS service, and enter
domain1.com as the domain name.  You do NOT put in the host name
(usually www).

> Every thing seems to work fine the way we did manually it but I think there
> is a easier way.(I'm I on the right track with using the Add Secondary Name
> Service for Domain in the GUI?)

Yes.

Jeff
-- 
Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Linux and Cobalt/Sun/RaQ Consulting
nobaloney.net
P. O. Box 52672, Riverside, CA  92517
voice: (909) 778-9980  *  fax: (702) 548-9484