How to update DNS entries on an AIX DNS server

 

This quick procedure explains how to update DNS entries on a AIX DNS server already configured and operational.

Start by viewing the contents of /etc/named.conf and look for the "options" section and then the "directory" directive that sets the root directory for the zone files.

These zone files describe a portion of the Domain Name System (DNS) called a DNS zone.

For example the "directory" directive may state that the zone files exist in /var/named

Also in named.conf check the "zone" directive associated with the domain that you wish to modify and ensure you have the master for that domain.

Now cd into the zone file root directory, in this case /var/named and edit the zone file containing the DNS entries to be modified.

Entries can be added, modified or removed as required.

Ensure you edit and update the serial number at the top of the file. (The format is yyyymmddn where yyyymmdd is the date the change is being made, and n is as number starting at 1 which allows up to 9 changes per zone file per day to be unique).

Save the zone file.

Make any other zone file modifications required (e.g. reverse DNS entries).

Make the changes live by typing rndc reload

Make the changes propogate to the slave DNS server by running rndc –s "slave ip-address" reload on the primary DNS server.

Any changes will then be synchronized with the slave DNS server automatically.