To populate the BIND server database files, use one of the following methods:

• Convert an existing host database with the CONVERT/UNIX BIND command.
• Manually edit the ZONE.DB files.

To populate the BIND server database by copying information from the hosts database and other database files, enter the CONVERT/UNIX BIND command. This command:

• Creates a BIND server database (if needed).
• Extracts data from the hosts database. (The BIND server uses UNIX style formatted files.)
• Extracts mail exchanger (MX) information from the routes database.
• Populates the BIND server database with the host and MX records.
• Creates a forward translation file with the following characteristics:
  • It has address, canonical name, and MX entries.
  • If a file with the same name as the output file already exists, the serial number from that file's start-of-authority (SOA) entry increments and becomes the serial number of the new output file.
  • If no previous version of the output file exists, the serial number for the new file is 1.
  
  When you specify forward translation (by omitting the /DOMAIN qualifier), any host in the hosts database that is not qualified with a domain is included in the target domain. For example, if the local domain is x.y.z., the CONVERT/UNIX BIND command includes:

  a	Yes
  b.x.y.z	Yes
  c.x.y.z.z	Yes
  d.x.y.h	No

• Creates a reverse translation file if you specify /DOMAIN=(domain.name) and the end of domain.name is IN-ADDR.arpa.
  The created reverse translation file has the following characteristics:
  • Only records applicable to the domain you specify are placed into the output file.
  • The output file has domain name pointer entries.
  • If a file with the same name as the output file already exists, the serial number from that file's SOA entry increments and becomes the serial number of the new output file.
  • If no previous version of the output file exists, the serial number for the new file is 1.
  • Selects hosts with IP addresses that match the partial IP address from domain.name. For example, /DOMAIN=16.99.in-addr.arpa does a reverse translation and selects hosts whose addresses begin with 99.16.

If the BIND server's directory is SYS$SPECIFIC:[TCPIP$BIND] and you have specified domain abc.def.com, the default output file is named:

SYS$SPECIFIC:[TCPIP$BIND]ABC_DEF_COM.DB

Compaq suggests that you do not change the default directory. If you do, the file is created in your current directory.

On the command line, specify the full OpenVMS file specification. Do not specify a version number, and do not use wildcards. The following example uses the domain ucx.ern.sea.com, creates a UCX_ERN_SEA_COM.DB file, creates a 208_20_9_IN-ADDR_ARPA.DB file, and checks the results by displaying directory listings with the new file.

TCPIP> CONVERT/UNIX BIND /DOMAIN=UCX.ERN.SEA.COM TCPIP> CONVERT/UNIX BIND /DOMAIN=208.20.9.IN-ADDR.ARPA "local and cache files exists/can be retrieved from internet hosts". $ TCPIP> SET DEFAULT SYS$SPECIFIC:[TCPIP$BIND] $ DIRECTORY Directory SYS$SPECIFIC:[TCPIP$BIND] 127_0_0.DB;1 208_20_9_IN-ADDR_ARPA.DB;1 LOCALHOST.DB;1 LOGIN.COM;1 ROOT.HINT;1 TCPIP$BIND.CONF;1 TCPIP$BIND_CONF.TEMPLATE;1 TCPIP$BIND_RUN.LOG;4339 TCPIP$BIND_SERVER.PID;1 UCX_ERN_SEA_COM.DB;5

5.5.2 Manually Editing Zone Files

All name server zone files use the same type of records to define domain database information. Compaq recommends that you review these resource records before editing any BIND files. The standard resource records (RR) are summarized in Table 5-11.

Table 5-11 Standard Resource Record Types

Record Type	Description
SOA	Start of authority. Marks the beginning of a zone's data and defines parameters that affect the entire zone.
NS	Name server. Identifies a domain's name server.
A	Address. Maps a host name to an address.
PTR	Pointer. Maps an address to a host name.
MX	Mail exchange. Identifies where to deliver mail for a given domain.
CNAME	Canonical name. Defines an alias host name.
HINFO	Host Information. Describes a host's hardware and operating system.
WKS	Well-known service. Advertises network services.

The format of DNS records is as follows:

[name] [ttl] IN type data

where:

name	Specifies the name of the domain object referenced by a resource record. The string entered for name is the current domain unless it ends with a dot. If the name field is blank, the record applies to the domain object last named.
ttl	Defines the length of time, in seconds, that the information in this resource record should be kept in cache. Usually, the time-to-live field is left blank, and the default ttl, set for the entire zone SOA record, is used.
IN	Identifies the record as an Internet DNS resource record.
type	Identifies what kind of resource record this is. (See Table 5-11 for the available record types you can specify.)
data	Information specific to this type of resource record. For example, in an A record, this is the field that contains the actual IP address.

5.5.3 Saving Backup Copies of Zone Data

The name server saves backup copies of the zone data in SYS$SPECIFIC:[TCPIP$BIND]. Do not delete your backup copies. When the master server is down and the secondary server is started, the secondary server cannot perform a zone transfer until the master server is up. However, with backup copies, the secondary server has some data, though possibly out of date, to perform its basic tasks.

5.5.4 Sample Database Files

The following sections provide sample BIND database files.

5.5.4.1 Local Loopback: Forward and Reverse Translation Files

In the LOCALHOST.DB file, the network address is usually 127.0.0, and the local host address is usually 127.0.0.1. The following sample LOCALHOST.DB file shows the forward translation for the local loopback interface.

; ; BIND data file for local loopback interface (forward translation). ; ; Provided for DIGITAL TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS. ; $ORIGIN localhost. @ 1D IN SOA @ root ( 42 ;Serial 3H ;Refresh 15M ;Retry 1W ;Expiry 1D ) ;Minimum ; 1D IN NS @ 1D IN A 127.0.0.1

The following sample 127_0_0.DB file shows the reverse translation for the local loopback interface.

; ; BIND data file for local loopback interface (reverse translation). ; ; Provided for DIGITAL TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS. ; $ORIGIN 0.0.127.in-addr.arpa. @ 1D IN SOA localhost. root.localhost. ( 42 ;Serial 3H ;Refresh 15M ;Retry 1W ;Expiry 1D ) ;Minimum ; 1D IN NS localhost. 1 1D IN PTR localhost.

These local host databases provide forward and inverse translation for the widely used LOCALHOST name. The LOCALHOST name is always associated with the IP address 127.0.0.1 and is used for local loopback traffic.

5.5.5 The Hints File

This file contains root name server hints. Any name server running on a host without direct Internet connectivity should list the internal roots in its hints file.

The following sample shows a ROOT.HINT file. In earlier releases, this file was called NAMED.CA.

; Data file for initial cache data for root domain servers. ; ; Provided for DIGITAL TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS. ; ; <<>> DiG 8.1 <<>> @192.5.5.241 ; (1 server found) ;; res options: init recurs defnam dnsrch ;; got answer: ;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 10 ;; flags: qr aa rd; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 13, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 13 ;; QUERY SECTION: ;; ., type = NS, class = IN ; ;; ANSWER SECTION: . 6D IN NS H.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 6D IN NS B.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 6D IN NS C.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 6D IN NS D.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 6D IN NS E.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 6D IN NS I.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 6D IN NS F.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 6D IN NS G.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 6D IN NS J.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 6D IN NS K.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 6D IN NS L.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 6D IN NS M.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. . 6D IN NS A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. ; ;; ADDITIONAL SECTION: H.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 5w6d16h IN A 128.63.2.53 B.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 5w6d16h IN A 128.9.0.107 C.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 5w6d16h IN A 192.33.4.12 D.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 5w6d16h IN A 128.8.10.90 E.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 5w6d16h IN A 192.203.230.10 I.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 5w6d16h IN A 192.36.148.17 F.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 5w6d16h IN A 192.5.5.241 G.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 5w6d16h IN A 192.112.36.4 J.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 5w6d16h IN A 198.41.0.10 K.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 5w6d16h IN A 193.0.14.129 L.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 5w6d16h IN A 198.32.64.12 M.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 5w6d16h IN A 202.12.27.33 A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 5w6d16h IN A 198.41.0.4 ; ;; Total query time: 608 msec ;; FROM: ucx.ern.sea.com to SERVER: 192.5.5.241 ;; WHEN: Mon May 18 15:26:19 1998 ;; MSG SIZE sent: 17 rcvd: 436

This cache initialization file contains NS records that name root servers and A records that provide the addresses of root servers.

To create a ROOT.HINT file:

• Run TCPIP$CONFIG
• Select the Server Components Menu
• Then select the BIND server.

This procedure creates the ROOT.HINT file and places the file in the SYS$SPECIFIC:{TCPIP$BIND] directory.

5.5.6 Forward Translation File

The forward translation file, domain_name.DB, stores host-name-to-address mapping. For example, for the domain ROBIN.BIRD.COM, the following database file is created. ROBIN_BIRD_COM.DB. The following example shows a domain_name.DB file:

$ORIGIN ucx.ern.sea.com. @ IN SOA owl.ucx.ern.sea.com. pmaster.owl.ern.sea.com. ( 23 ; Serial 600 ; Refresh 300 ; Retry 172800 ; Expire 43200 ) ; Minimum ; IN NS owl.ucx.ern.sea.com. IN NS condor.ucx.ern.sea.com. ; thrush IN A 9.20.208.53 condor IN A 9.20.208.10 birdy IN A 9.20.208.47 IN MX 10 birdy.ucx.ern.sea.com. IN MX 100 inet-gw-1.pa.emu.com. IN MX 100 mts-gw.pa.emu.com. IN MX 200 crl.emu.com. IN MX 300 nester.emu.com. seagull IN A 9.20.208.30 IN MX 10 seagull.ucx.ern.sea.com. IN MX 100 inet-gw-1.pa.emu.com. IN MX 100 mts-gw.pa.emu.com. IN MX 200 crl.emu.com. IN MX 300 nester.emu.com. owl IN A 9.20.208.72 IN MX 10 owl.ucx.ern.sea.com. IN MX 100 inet-gw-1.pa.emu.com. IN MX 100 mts-gw.pa.emu.com. IN MX 200 crl.emu.com. IN MX 300 nester.emu.com. peacock IN A 9.20.208.73 IN MX 10 pultdown.ucx.ern.sea.com. IN MX 100 inet-gw-1.pa.emu.com. IN MX 100 mts-gw.pa.emu.com. IN MX 200 crl.emu.com. IN MX 300 nester.emu.com. redwing IN A 9.20.208.79 IN MX 10 redwing.ucx.ern.sea.com. IN MX 100 inet-gw-1.pa.emu.com. IN MX 100 mts-gw.pa.emu.com. IN MX 200 crl.emu.com. IN MX 300 nester.emu.com. robin IN A 9.20.208.47 IN A 9.20.208.30 IN A 9.20.208.72

This file is created only for the master server. All other servers obtain this information from the master server. This file contains most of the domain information. Note, this file

• Begins with an SOA record and a few NS records that define the domain and its servers.
• Maps host names to IP addresses.
• Contains A, MX, CNAME, and other records.

MX records identify the servers in a domain that are used for forwarding mail. Use MX records and preference numbers to define the order in which mail servers are used. The lower the preference number, the more desirable the server.

5.5.7 Reverse Translation File

The reverse translation file, address.DB, stores address-to-host-name mapping (reverse mapping) information. For example, for the same domain, a file with the name 208_20_9_IN-ADDR_ARPA.DB is created.

The following example shows an address.DB file.

$ORIGIN 208.20.9.in-addr.arpa. @ IN SOA owl.ucx.ern.sea.com. pmaster.owl.ucx.ern.sea.com. ( 1 ; Serial 600 ; Refresh 300 ; Retry 172800 ; Expire 43200 ) ; Minimum ; IN NS owl.ucx.ern.sea.com. IN NS condor.ucx.ern.sea.com. ; 53 IN PTR thrush.ucx.ern.sea.com. 10 IN PTR condor.ucx.ern.sea.com. 47 IN PTR birdy.ucx.ern.sea.com. 30 IN PTR seagull.ucx.ern.sea.com. 72 IN PTR owl.ucx.ern.sea.com. 73 IN PTR peacock.ucx.ern.sea.com. 79 IN PTR redwing.ucx.ern.sea.com.

PTR records dominate this file because they are used to translate addresses to host names.

5.6 Examining Name Server Statistics

The BIND server collects statistics that record server activity. To examine BIND statistics, enter the SHOW NAME_SERVICE/STATISTICS command. This command logs statistics to the file TCPIP$BIND_SERVER_STATISTICS.LOG, located in SYS$SPECIFIC:[TCPIP$BIND]. (In previous versions of the TCP/IP services product, the SHOW NAME_SERVICE /STATISTICS command was used to display name server statistics such as the number of queries, failed responses, and incoming and outgoing packets.)

The following sample shows a statistics log:

34250 time since boot (secs) 15670 time since reset (secs) 12 Unknown query types 20000 A queries 540 SOA queries 2399 MX queries 867 ANY queries 3 AXFR queries ++ Name Server Statistics ++ (Legend) RR RNXD RFwdR RDupR RFail RFErr RErr RAXFR RLame ROpts SSysQ SAns SFwdQ SDupQ SErr RQ RIQ RFwdQ RDupQ RTCP SFwdR SFail SFErr SNaAns SNXD (Global) 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 -- Name Server Statistics -- ++ Memory Statistics ++ 3: 9 gets, 2 rem 4: 7 gets, 0 rem (1 bl, 1022 5: 16 gets, 1 rem 6: 7 gets, 5 rem 7: 10 gets, 5 rem 8: 97 gets, 16 rem (1 bl, 485 ff) 13: 6 gets, 4 rem . . . 664: 5 gets, 1 rem (1 bl, 5 ff) 732: 2 gets, 0 rem (1 bl, 5 ff) 1040: 1 gets, 1 rem (1 bl, 2 ff) >= 1100: 23 gets, 9 rem -- Memory Statistics -- --- Statistics Dump --- (907337687) Fri Jan 2 10:14:47 1999

• Lists information about how long the server has been running and how long since the last reset, and a count of the number of queries processed for each available resource record type.
• For each size, statistics are displayed showing, in order:
  1. The total number of times that a buffer of that size has been allocated (gets)
  2. The number of buffers that size which have not yet been free'd and currently remain allocated (rem)
  3. The number of blocks currently allocated---note that buffers are allocated in large groups at a time, and these groups are called blocks (bl)
  4. The number of buffers within those blocks which are currently free (ff, which stands for free fragments)

The following sections describe how to manually set up BIND servers by entering SET CONFIGURATION BIND commands.

To instruct the master name server to read the appropriate database files using the information in TCPIP$CONFIGURATION.DAT, enter SET CONFIGURATION BIND commands. Enter the SHOW CONFIGURATION BIND command to display BIND information from the configuration database (TCPIP$CONFIGURATION.DAT).

Example

The following commands tell the name server to read the appropriate files:

TCPIP> SET CONFIGURATION BIND /CACHE TCPIP> SET CONFIGURATION BIND - _TCPIP> /PRIMARY=(DOMAIN:0.0.127.IN-ADDR.ARPA, FILE:NAMED.LOCAL) TCPIP> SET CONFIGURATION BIND - _TCPIP> /PRIMARY=(DOMAIN:UCX.ERN.SEA.COM, FILE:UCX_ERN_SEA_COM.DB) TCPIP> SET CONFIGURATION BIND - _TCPIP> /PRIMARY=(DOMAIN:208.20.9.IN-ADDR.ARPA, FILE:208_20_9_IN-ADDR_ARPA.DB)

To view these settings, enter the SHOW CONFIGURATION BIND command.

5.7.2 Setting Up a Secondary (Slave) Name Server

Configure a secondary server to populate itself by copying the DNS database files from the master server.

To configure a secondary server, enter:

TCPIP> SET CONFIGURATION BIND /CACHE TCPIP> SET CONFIGURATION BIND - _TCPIP> /PRIMARY=(DOMAIN:0.0.127.IN-ADDR.ARPA, FILE:NAMED.LOCAL) TCPIP> SET CONFIGURATION BIND - _TCPIP> /SECONDARY=(DOMAIN:UCX.ERN.SEA.COM, - FILE:UCX_ERN_SEA_COM.DB, - HOST:OWL:UCX.ERN.SEA.COM)) TCPIP> SET CONFIGURATION BIND - _TCPIP> /SECONDARY=(DOMAIN:208.20.9.IN-ADDR.ARPA, - FILE:208_20_9_IN-ADDR_ARPA.DB, - HOST:OWL.UCX.ERN.SEA.COM))

5.7.3 Setting Up a Cache-only Server

To configure a cache-only server, enter:

SET CONFIGURATION BIND /CACHE

This command points the server to the file NAMED.CA.

5.7.4 Setting Up a Forwarder Name Server

To configure a forwarder, enter:

TCPIP> SET CONFIGURATION BIND /FORWARDER=(HOST:host)

Your host uses the BIND resolver to obtain information from a name server. When a request for name translation arrives, the resolver first searches the local host database for the host information. If not found, the resolver then queries the BIND name server for host information.

The resolver is automatically configured by TCPIP$CONFIG when you choose "Option 1 --- Core Environment." To display your resolver configuration, enter the following command:

TCPIP> SHOW NAME_SERVICE

The following displays:

BIND Resolver Parameters Local domain: ucx.ern.sea.com System State: Started, Enabled Transport: UDP Domain: ucx.ern.sea.com Retry: 4 Timeout: 4 Servers: lark Path: ucx.ern.sea.com,ern.sea.com,sea.com Process State: Enabled Transport: Domain: Retry: Timeout: Servers: Path:

Here, host LARK in the current domain is used as the default name server. To add records to the local host database, use SET commands. For example, the following command adds host birdy to the local host database. (See the DIGITAL TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS Command Reference manual for more information on using SET commands.)

TCPIP> SET HOST birdy /ADDRESS=9.20.208.47

To delete server entries from the configuration database (or to add new entries), use the following command:

TCPIP> SET NAME_SERVICE /NOSERVER=LARK /SYSTEM

This command modifies the volatile database. To make changes permanent, also enter a SET CONFIGURATION NAME_SERVICE command to add the change to the permanent database. Enter another SHOW NAME_SERVICE command to view the results.