Simplistic serial number roll back

[John Thurston]

Assumptions: A primary and several secondaries, with the secondaries 
using XFR to stay up to date.

Scenario: Make a change in the serial number algorithm which will result 
in newer zone-data being published on an "earlier" serial number.

The 'correct' method  is to increase the serial number (by steps not 
exceeding 0x7FFFFFFF) until it rolls back around to the desired number. 
These increments are to happen no more frequently than the refresh 
interval specified in the SOA record. This 'correct' method relies on 
nothing more than the communication standards defined in RFC.

But if we add the assumption: All authorities are running ISC BIND 
software, and all are under central management.

can the whole process be reduced to publishing the new serial number on 
the primary, and using an "rndc retransfer" on each secondary?

The man-file says "retransfer . . . This  command retransfers the given 
secondary zone from the primary server."

It doesn't say serial number is considered, nor does it does it say that 
it is ignored. I'm thinking it makes sense that it ignores the serial 
number, but I can't think of  a good way to test this.


-- 
--
Do things because you should, not just because you can.

John Thurston    907-465-8591
John.Thurston at alaska.gov
Department of Administration
State of Alaska
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