Zone File Config Problems

[Ronan Flood]

Salvador Peralta <salvador at progressivetrail.org> wrote:

> First, I'd like for NS1 and NS2 to handle DNS requests.  For some reason,
> when I dig with the following configuration, I get a "Couldn't find server
> 'ns1.progressivetrail.org': Name or service not known" error.  This will
> resolve properly if I dig @jefferson.progressivetrail.org, but not
> @ns1.progressivetrail.org.

ns1 should not be a CNAME.  Make it an A record like jefferson;
and maybe make jefferson and the others CNAMEs to ns1.

> Second, the following configuration will resolve
> scoobydoo.progressivetrail.org, but not the TLD progressivetrail.org.

Resolve what?  You don't have an A record for progressivetrail.org,
so dig won't find one if you ask for it.  (Also, progressivetrail.org
is not a top-level domain, it is a second-level domain; org is the TLD)

> Third, what is the purpose of the Serial line?

It is used by secondary/slave servers to detect if the zone on the
primary/master server has been updated; the zone admin is expected
to increment the serial number with each change.  The recommended
format of the serial number is yyyymmddnn, eg 2004120601 means the
first change on 6-Dec-2004.

> What changes should I make to this configuration to get things working
> properly to set this up as a master for this zone?
> 
> $TTL 3D
> @       IN      SOA     ns1.progressivetrail.org.
> ns2.progressivetrail.org. (
>                         200211152          ; serial#

That should be updated.

>                         3600            ; refresh, seconds
>                         3600            ; retry, seconds
>                         3600            ; expire, seconds
>                         3600 )          ; minimum, seconds

Expire should probably be a lot longer.

>                 NS      ns1             ; Inet Address of nameserver
> progressivetrail.org.    MX      10 mail         ; Primary Mail Exchanger
> ;
> localhost       A       127.0.0.1
> jefferson       A       67.19.14.187
> ns2             A       67.19.14.188
> mail            CNAME   jefferson
> ns1             CNAME   jefferson

Bad idea, as above.

> www             CNAME   jefferson
> *               CNAME   jefferson

-- 
                      Ronan Flood <R.Flood at noc.ulcc.ac.uk>
                        working for but not speaking for
             Network Services, University of London Computer Centre
     (which means: don't bother ULCC if I've said something you don't like)