GENERAL HELP, resources and tips before posting.

[Roy Arends]

Some advice and tips before posting messages.

There are some publicly available archives available:

  This list is archived at
    http://www.isc.org/ml-archives/bind-users/
  The bottom of that page has a search function.

  The comp.protocols.dns.bind can be searched at
    http://groups.google.com/groups?group=comp.protocols.dns.bind

  This list is for versions below BIND 9. BIND 9, has its own mailing
  list:
    http://www.isc.org/ml-archives/bind9-users/

  Specific error messages can be checked against a list available at
    http://www.acmebw.com/askmrdns/bind-messages.htm

  Also a very usefull site is the DNS Recources Directory:  
    http://www.dns.net/dnsrd/

  Bind V8 configuration information:
    http://www.isc.org/products/BIND/docs/  

  Bind V9 Administration Reference Manual online (PDF):
    http://www.nominum.com/resources/documentation/Bv9ARM.pdf
    (also available in the bind9 package)

  BIND 8 faq (and more) available at:
    http://www.nominum.com/resources/faqs/

*** make sure that you are running the lastest BIND release !!!
*** BIND 8.2.3-REL: ftp.isc.org/isc/bind/src/8.2.3/bind-src.tar.gz
*** BIND 9.1.1rc5 : ftp.isc.org/isc/bind9/9.1.1rc5/bind-9.1.1rc5.tar.gz

Check your messages. If there is some alternate logging specified in your
named.conf, check them too. When posting a message, asking for help in
case something appears to be wrong with the behaviour of your nameserver,
please provide as much specific logging as possible. Next to that, provide
OS information and mention your BIND version. Also a full named.conf file
is handy, as well as providing the relevant zone files. Do not obscure
information in these files (except trusted-keys), so some remote checking
can be done. Security by obscurity does not help. Make also sure that the
subject of the message is somewhat related to the question.

Regards,

Roy Arends
Nominum