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- # Copyright (c) 1992 by Texas Internet Consulting
- # This code may be freely copied and used so long as this
- # copyright notice is attached. This code may not be sold
- # without the express written permission of Texas Internet Consulting.
- # Texas Internet Consulting makes no warranty as to the correctness
- # nor the applicability of this code for any purpose.
-
- Generic host configuration files.
-
- This is a brief overview of a set of utilities used to manage
- host files when running DNS or NIS nameservice or both.
-
- File description:
-
- README - this file
- etc.named - files installed in /etc/named
- gendns - shell script to generate DNS tables
- genstatic - shell script to generate static host file
- make_rev - automatically creates the reverse DNS map
- poke_ns.c - C program to help manage DNS servers
- readinfo - shell script to extract fields from hst files
- updatehosts - shell scrip to automate host update
-
- This host database system organizes host information in a set of
- flat tables. All host updates are made in these tables. From these
- tables both the static host table and the DNS database files are created.
- This eliminates potential errors caused by having to maintain two sets of
- host tables.
-
- The static host table is used to update NIS maps, if you run NIS. It can
- also be used on machines which may not have DNS or NIS support.
-
- Install the scripts in /usr/local/etc. Compile and install poke_ns in
- /usr/local/etc making it setuid to root, but only executable by the group
- of users which will be maintainingg the host database. Do not make it
- executable by everyone. Check the define NAMED and be sure it points to
- the pathname for your nameserver.
-
- The next step is to install the files in etc.named in the /etc/named
- directory or the directory where the DNS database files will be maintained.
-
- Now populate the host database files. These files are organized like a
- relational database and consist of several files. They are all under SCCS
- control and must be checked out to be populated. Be sure and check the
- files back in under SCCS before continuing.
-
- hosts.main - the main host file. Required fields are the host and IP
- address field. Note the #FIELDS line. This describes the fields to the
- readinfo script which extracts particular fields from the host.* files.
- Each field is described by its fieldname, followed by an optional prefix=,
- suffix=, or no= descriptor. The prefix= and suffix= describe what will be
- prepended or appended to the field value when readinfo outputs the field.
- For host names the suffix is equal to the default domain. For host
- addresses the prefix is equal to the network number. This facility is a
- useful shorthand. The no= field gives a character which says to display
- the host value as given and ignore any prefix or suffix. For example if
- your default domain is tic.com and you have a host named tic.com enter it
- in the file as @tic.com@.
-
- hosts.cname - host alias file. This has two fields the real host name
- followed an alias for the host. If a host has more than a single alias,
- renteer the host name followed by the second alias.
-
- hosts.mx - DNS MX information is entered here. This file has three fields:
- the domain name to MX for, the priority of the MX record and the host to
- forward mail to for this domain.
-
- The other hosts.* and remaining files are helper files
- for creating the static host tables and DNS files. No data needs to be entered into them.
-
- Create a file in nisservers of the host names for NIS servers for doing
- host lookups. If you have no NIS servers performing this function do not
- create this file.
-
- Run the command updatehosts -u. This will generate the DNS tables and
- start the DNS server or cause the currently running server to reload its
- data files. If you are replacing an existing DNS server it is best to
- bring it down first before typing this command. When you update the host
- files in the future, type updatehosts followed by the names of the files
- which need to be updated. e.g. updatehosts hosts.main. This can be done in
- any directory. Updatehosts knows how to find the files. The -u option is
- used when you want to update the server without modifying any files or you
- modified the files by manually running SCCS.
-