Revision as of 20:22, 26 May 2009

What is DNS

DNS (Domain Name System WIKIPedia) is used instead of IP's. Most of the time if there is only a couple of IP's its easier to use IP's instead of DNS, but the bigger the network, the more IP's you have to remember, and then its easier to remember DNS names ie: http://wind.ctwug.za.net or http://wiki.ctwug.za.net

Another benefit using DNS is that you can have multiple virtual servers on the same IP. wind.ctwug.za.net and wiki.ctwug.za.net both runs on macgyver.ctwug.za.net

CTWUG DNS Servers

The CTWUG DNS Server is: 172.18.1.1

This IP actually runs on 3 computers at the moment.

1. macgyver.ctwug.za.net (Jupi2) (nOs)

2. srv.tfyre.ctwug.za.net (Jupi1) (TFyre)

3. server.wildpikachu.ctwug.za.net (Mercury) (WildPikachu)

cthulhu.scar.ctwug.za.net (ScarFreewill) must still get the 172.18.1.1 IP

This IP (172.18.1.1) gets used for NTP as well.

How CTWUG DNS Works

196.211.31.107 (jaja) is the Primary DNS server and has a static public IP. This is reqruied to run a DNS Server.

There are 2 secondary servers helping johannesleroux.co.za with internet side queries

1. dns2.nettica.com

2. dns4.nettica.com

The CTWUG DNS Servers gets their DNS Zone information directly from johannesleroux.co.za.

When someone adds new IP addresses on WIND, johannesleroux.co.za gets notified. johannesleroux.co.za then updates its own zone file and notifies 3 servers using static ip addresses

1. macgyver.ctwug.za.net (OpenVPN Tunnel to johannesleroux.co.za)

2. dns2.nettica.com

3. dns4.nettica.com

When these servers receive the notification, they will do an incremental transfer from johannesleroux.co.za

After macgyver.ctwug.za.net receives the zone file, it will notify the CTWUG DNS Servers