named.conf(4) Kernel Interfaces Manual named.conf(4)
NAME
named.conf - named configuration file
SYNOPSIS
/etc/named.conf
DESCRIPTION
This file is the default configuration (or boot) file for the named server. This configuration file replaces the named.boot file.
The named daemon reads the start-up file when the named daemon starts and when receiving signal SIGHUP.
The statements in the named.conf file tell the named daemon what type of server it is, which domains (or zones of authority) it has author-
ity over, and where to get the data for initially setting up its database.
The name server first needs to know the root name server, which is the authority server for the network. The root name server is estab-
lished in the named.conf file by specifying the root server filename (named.ca) as the cache for this name server.
The named.conf file consists of a sequence of statements terminated by a semi-colon (;) and comments. Comments can be specified by any of
the following: A number sign (#) The C-style /* and */ characters. The C++-style // characters
The types of named.conf statements are as follows: Defines a named IP address matching list for access control and other uses. Includes a
file. Specifies key information for use in authentication and authorization. Specifies the information that the server logs and the des-
tination of the log messages. Controls global server configuration options and sets defaults for other statements. Sets certain configu-
ration options on a per-server basis. Defines a zone.
The logging and options statements can occur only one time in a configuration file. Many statements contain a block of substatements,
which are also terminated with a semicolon. See the BIND Configuration Guide in the Tru64 UNIX HTML Documentation Library for additional
information about the description and format of each statement.
For examples of various ways of using the named.conf file, see the EXAMPLES section.
See named(8) for additional named.conf file directives.
Note that the named daemon does not provide other hosts with the information contained in a cache file. Cache files are usually used for
listing the name servers for domains higher than the local domain.
These data files can have any name. However, for convenience in maintaining the named database, they are generally given names in the fol-
lowing form: /etc/named.extension. The general format of named data files is described in /etc/named.*.
EXAMPLES
The following examples show the various ways to use the named start-up file. The /etc/named.conf file for venus, a master name server
(that which used to be called a primary name server), contains these entries: // Configuration (boot) file for master name server // zone
"." {
type hint;
file "/etc/named.ca"; };
zone "abc.aus.osf.com" {
type master;
file "/etc/named.abcdata"; };
zone "xyz.aus.osf.com" {
type master;
file "/etc/named.xyzdata"; };
zone "201.9.192.in-addr.arpa" {
type master;
file "/etc/named.abcrev"; };
zone "100.114.128.in-addr.arpa" {
type master;
file "/etc/named.xyzrev"; };
zone "0.0.127.in-addr.arpa" {
type master;
file "/etc/named.local"; };
In this example, the master name server is venus and the Internet address is 192.9.201.1. The /etc/named.conf file for kronos, a
slave name server (that which used to be called a secondary name server), contains these entries: // Configuration (boot) file for
slave name server // zone "." {
type hint;
file "/etc/named.ca"; };
zone "abc.aus.osf.com" {
type slave;
file "192.9.201.2";
masters {
192.9.201.1;
}; };
zone "xyz.aus.osf.com" {
type slave;
file "192.9.201.2";
masters {
192.9.201.1;
}; };
zone "201.9.192.in-addr.arpa" {
type slave;
file "192.9.201.2";
masters {
192.9.201.1;
}; };
zone "100.114.128.in-addr.arpa" {
type slave;
file "192.9.201.2";
masters {
192.9.201.1;
}; };
zone "0.0.127.in-addr.arpa" {
type master;
file "/etc/named.local"; };
In this example the slave name server is kronos and the Internet address is 192.9.201.2. The /etc/named.conf file for hera, a
caching-only name server contains these entries: // Configuration (boot) file for caching-only server // zone "." { type hint;
file "/etc/named.ca"; };
zone "0.0.127.in-addr.arpa" { type master; file "/etc/named.local"; }; The /etc/named.conf file for titan, an IPv4 master
name server that accepts secure dynamic updates from new clients, contains these entries: It is recommended that you do not enable
authentication for IPv6 zones that are dynamically updated. See bind_manual_setup(7) for more information. // Configuration (boot)
file for master name server // include "/etc/namedb/named.keys";
zone "." {
type hint;
file "/etc/named.ca"; };
zone "dyn.aus.osf.com" {
type master;
file "/etc/named.dyndata"; allow-update { dynnet-titan_update }; };
zone "201.9.192.in-addr.arpa" {
type master;
file "/etc/named.dynrev"; allow-update { dynnet-titan_update }; };
zone "0.0.127.in-addr.arpa" {
type master;
file "/etc/named.local"; };
The allow-update substatement in the zone statements specifies that dynamic updates to the master DNS database are successful only
if they are signed with the dynnet-titan_update key.
The include statement calls named.keys, a file that is read/writable only by superuser and contains the following key configuration
statement: key dynnet-titan_update {
algorithm hmac-md5;
secret "YYnTXprDocI5qizxfT9/A8f9Ec+eq0Oo1DGXvks/Q27kTMMYKw==" };
You generate a private key for the secret substatement by using the dnskeygen command.
See the Network Administration guide or bind_manual_setup(7) for more information about configuring secure dynamic updates.
RELATED INFORMATION
Commands: named(8), dnskeygen(1).
Files: named.star(4).
Networking: bind_manual_setup(7).
Network Administration delim off
named.conf(4)