DNS Server Guide

The InterWorx Control Panel provides and easy-to-use interface for managing the DNS Service.

From the DNS Overview page in NodeWorx, server administrators can add DNS servers, edit the DNS zone defaults, and manage active DNS services.

Contents

• DNS Server Guide

  • To Manage the Default DNS Servers

  • To Set the DNS Zone Defaults

  • To Manage Active DNS Services

    • Installing DNS Service on an IP Address

    • Managing DNS Service on an IP Address

    • Removing DNS Service From an IP Address

To Manage the Default DNS Servers

Note

Default DNS servers refer to the hostname of the nameservers that will be used for the domains hosted on the server. If IP addresses are added in these fields, DNS will not work.

1. Log into NodeWorx from the browser (https://ip.ad.dr.ess:2443/nodeworx)

2. In NodeWorx, navigate to System Services > DNS Server > Overviews

3. Under Default DNS Servers, update the desired fields:

   • Primary DNS: The first nameserver to be used for requesting zone data for a given zone. For redundancy, a second (though equally authoritative) nameserver is required

   • Secondary DNS: The second nameserver to be used for requesting zone data for a given zone. An optional (equally authoritative) third nameserver can be provided for additional redundancy

   • Tertiary DNS: Similar to the secondary nameserver, but it is only used if the primary and secondary server fail

   • Additional DNS: Additional DNS. These are not required, but provide additional DNS redundancy

   

4. Click Update

To Set the DNS Zone Defaults

1. Log into NodeWorx from the browser (https://ip.ad.dr.ess:2443/nodeworx)

2. In NodeWorx, navigate to System Services > DNS Server > Overviews

3. Under DNS Zone Defaults, update the desired fields:

   • Refresh Time: Sets the number of seconds that a record will be cached before re-checking the primary server. Recommended values are between 1200 (twenty minutes) and 43200 (twelve hours)

   • Retry Time: Sets the number of seconds to retry a refresh after the previous refresh attempt fails. Recommended values are between 180 (three minutes) and 900 (fifteen minutes).

   • Expire Time: Sets the number of seconds for refresh and retry attempts before the server will stop serving

     the zone. Recommended values are between 1209600 (two weeks) and 2419200 (four weeks).

   • Negative TTL: Time in seconds for negative answers (NXDOMAIN) from this zone. Suggested values are between 3600 (one hour) and 10800 (three hours). Values higher than 86400 (twenty-four hours) should be avoided

   • Enforce RFC1912 CNAMES: RFC1912 states “A CNAME record is not allowed to coexist with any other data.” In certain circumstances, it may be desired to relax this restriction if the ramifications are understood. However, it is enabled by default.

   

4. Click Update

To Manage Active DNS Services

Installing DNS Service on an IP Address

1. Log into NodeWorx from the browser (https://ip.ad.dr.ess:2443/nodeworx)

2. In NodeWorx, navigate to System Services > DNS Server > Overviews

3. Under IP Addresses Without DNS Services, select the checkbox next to the IP address to update

4. From the With Selected dropdown, select install

   

5. Click Go

Managing DNS Service on an IP Address

1. Log into NodeWorx from the browser (https://ip.ad.dr.ess:2443/nodeworx)

2. In NodeWorx, navigate to System Services > DNS Server > Overviews

3. Under Active DNS Services, select the checkbox next to the IP address to update

4. From the With Selected dropdown, select The

   • Stop: Stop the DNS Service

   • Start: Start the DNS Service

   • Restart: Restart the DNS Service

   • Flush: Flush the DNS Cache

   

5. Click Go

Removing DNS Service From an IP Address

1. Log into NodeWorx from the browser (https://ip.ad.dr.ess:2443/nodeworx)

2. In NodeWorx, navigate to System Services > DNS Server > Overviews

3. Under Active DNS Services (Iterative), click the checkbox next to the IP to update

4. From the With Selected dropdown, select Remove

   

5. Click Go