How to Set up a Caching-Only DNS Server

Support knowledgebase (dns_cache)
Applies to

SuSE Linux: All versions

Situation:

You want to set up a caching-only DNS server.

Solution:

BIND 8:

  1. Install the package bind8.
  2. Insert the following lines in /etc/named.conf: 
    forwarders {
        192.168.0.10;
        192.168.0.20;
        192.168.0.30;
};
forward only;
    Explanation: At forwarders you find the IP numbers of the DNS servers to which DNS requests, which cannot be resolved directly, are forwarded. forward only; determines whether the requests will be only forwarded to the specified DNS server/s or, if the given DNS server/s do not know the answer, the request will be sent to the root name server. The entry forward only; results in all requests being forwarded and none sent to the root DNS servers (recommended).

General procedure

For SuSE Linux versions up to 7.3, set the following option in /etc/rc.config/: 

START_NAMED=yes
From SuSE Linux 8.0 on, insert: 
insserv named
While you are at it, you can also enter the server for the local system: 
NAMESERVER=192.168.102.1
Enter 127.0.0.1 if you work exclusively with dynamic IP addresses. The settigs will be applied when you start /sbin/SuSEconfig after booting or with 
init 1
init 2 (from SuSE Linux 8.0 on, init 3)

Keywords: DNS, CACHE, NAMED, BIND
Categories: DNS
SDB-dns_cache, Copyright SuSE Linux AG, Nürnberg, Germany - Version: 19. Jun 2002
SuSE Linux AG - Last generated: 20. Jun 2002 by ip (sdb_gen 1.40.0)