DNS Server: Master/Slave
 

Hi guys,

as you know when we register a domain name, we are required to specify the nameserver(s).

Usually we have at least 2. 1st and 2nd DNS server.

Some questions:

1) Are they meant to be configured as Master on both, or Slave on one?

2) Does it mean DNS request for my websites' name will be random? It will either query 1st or 2nd.

Or does it mean it will query the 2nd server only when the 1st goes down?

3) currently i have 2 DNS servers, but the zone files are identical, in that

there's no "notify" and "allow-query"
is it correct?

also.. the type is master for both. this is in relation to q1. should there be a 'slave'?

Many thanks!

1) doesn't matter, master / slave would be logical, but doesn't matter really at all

2) normally you'd query the first one first, but this can't be guarenteed

3) ideally there should be a slave, so will just do full zone transfers from the first, but if you're happy manually updating both, then thats fine.

ooh i see... so as long i have the zone files, master or slave it doesn't matter?

one more thing..
I realise in FC4 (am using RHEL3 for the current DNS servers) there's a chroot directory and i have to put the zone files there for it to start with no errors... normal?

running a nameserver inside a chroot jail is a very good idea, as if someone could somehow open a shell via an attack on it, you'd only have a chrooted environment to break.