Can a DNS server function as primary for one domain and secondary for another

[Rajasekhar Raman]

I have a scenario where we are a subsidary of a larger company. We maintain our own DNS entries, but also want to act as a secondary server for the parent company. Is this possible to do.

I have a 11.11 box, with the latest version of BIND on it.

Our original servers were Windows based, so if you have any tips on how the data and configuration can be migrated over to HP-UX ..that will be helpful as well

THanks

[Christopher Caldwell]

Sure.

Secondary/Primary setup is easy - if the server has the original zone file - it's "primary". If it pulls the zone file, it's secondary.

[Vincent Stedema]

Hi,

I suggest you buy the "DNS & BIND" book from O'Reilly (http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/dns4/). It is by far the best book on the subject.

More general information on bind can be found at http://www.dns.net/dnsrd/

Regards,

Vincent

[W.C. Epperson]

Chris, original vs. "pulled" copies of the zone file are characteristics of master vs. slave, but it's the setup that CAUSES that.

/etc/named.conf in latest BIND versions controls server behavior as master or slave ("type master" or "type slave" in zone stanzas). As far as the DNS at large is concerned, the zone SOA record indicates the master server. Odd things can happen if the SOA says a server is master and the server's own named.conf says it's a slave.

Easiest way I've ever found to port zones is to make the new server a slave, then edit the files to make it master.