DNS,Zone Files and Host Names

[djc]

I’m setting up a Mac OS X File Server (10.2.4) for use as a primary DNS server. I’ve been playing with Bindery and DNS Helper to assist me with the configuration of the zone files. Everything seems to be pretty straight forward with regards to the use of both of these applications. I just have a question with regards to the host name on the server.

The Primary Domain Name is: [b:79caec4c2d]example.com[/b:79caec4c2d]
The Primary Name Server is: [b:79caec4c2d]ns1.example.com[/b:79caec4c2d]

Because the OS X Server now has [b:79caec4c2d]ns1.example.com[/b:79caec4c2d] associated with it as the Primary DNS Server, am I allowed to also give it a regular host name such as [b:79caec4c2d]xserver.example.com[/b:79caec4c2d] and point all my CNAME Records to that? Or is [b:79caec4c2d]ns1.example.com[/b:79caec4c2d] the only host name that can be associated with the server and all CNAMEs need to point to [b:79caec4c2d]ns1[/b:79caec4c2d]?

Thanks,

Darryl

[Anonymous]

you can CNAME xserver to ns1 and then CNAME a bunch of other things to xserver. Or you could set up another A record, but that is considered bad form.

[djc]

Ok, I got you on that one. Now I have another question…

My server is behind a NAT Router. When creating the A records to the server, should the name point to the NATed IP Address or should it point to the IP Address assigned to the Domain?

example…

[b:88007e20cc]localhost.example.com IN A 127.0.0.1
ns1.example.com IN A 192.168.1.2
mail.example.com IN A 192.168.1.3[/b:88007e20cc]

or should it be…

[b:88007e20cc]localhost.example.com IN A 127.0.0.1
ns1.example.com IN A 63.140.187.187

mail.example.com IN CNAME ns1.example.com[/b:88007e20cc]

and let the NAT Router channel mail to 192.168.1.3?

Darryl

[legacyb4]

CNAME on a CNAME to a HOST record… never thought of doing that! If everything resolves to the Host though, is there any point in doing that?

So if you are working with a single IP address and you want to have a nice, easy to read DNS record for mail and web identification, the Primary Name Server name, the Mail Server name, and the “A” record as set using Bindery should all have the same entry, and a fistful (“www”, “ftp”, and “mail”, etc.) of CNAME records all resolving to that “A” record, correct?

Thanks in advance.

[quote:f0d6a43f01=”MacTroll”]Agreed.

the ns1 is pretty much just by convention. You are more then welcome to make your primary name server xserve.example.com if you want and do away with the ns1 host name altogether.

But as Hotmop said, you need to make sure that only one A record points to a given IP address.[/quote:f0d6a43f01]

[darkstar]

I hava a nagging little DNS problem that is driving me nuts.

I’m running 10.3 server on a G5 behind a multi DMZ router/firewall using the router’s 192. address scheme. The server has multiple IP addresses and multiple domains, but right now just one is running unril I solve this.

I decided to start using the DNS server because I was tired of numbers. Initial config went great and all the machines on the network arrive at the server using the name,

The problem is with subdomains.

I can not get mail.example.com to work or any others. I’ve tried them as CNAMEs, I’ve tried A listings and darn near every combo, yet they just won’t resolve. I have reverse pointers, I’ve reordered the file and and read nearly everything on this site about DNS and elsewhere with no luck.

It’s probably really simple, but it has me stumped. Any tips on how to make this work?

[Author]

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