ndu 0.2

This program is designed as a tool to make maintaining DNS databases easier.

The program dnstouch updates zone file serial numbers, using the standard yyyymmddnn format.
It requires a working ed to work.

The script dnsedit is designed for editing zone files.  If you make changes, it will update the serial
number when you finish.  You can also make it run ndu, and restart named

ndu is a program which will scan all the zones specified in named.conf and regenerate reverse zones.
This can be run from dnsedit, so when you edit a zone file, the serial number and reverse zone are auto-magicly
maintained.

Currently, ndu is designed to work with bind 8 named.conf files.  It is a simple matter to add named.boot file
format.  Look for it soon.

There are some guidelines to follow when setting up your files to work with ndu.

Configuration file:

all reverse zones should be named in lowercase, ie
10.168.192.in-addr.arpa

ndu will not look for uppercase IN-ADDR.ARPA

(This can be changed be editing the #define at the top of ndu.cpp)

zone files:
All reverse zone files should contain SOA and NS records, and then the lines
; This file is maintained by ndu
; you can edit above these lines
; do not add any PTR entries manualy.
; Do not edit below this line
;
;;END<<HEADER>>

Anything below the line containing END<<HEADER>> will be trashed, so back up you files first.

You can add anything you want above the line, but remember that all PTR records will be added below the line.

I have not been maintining a DNS for long, so if there is something I have missed, or could improve, feel free
to let me know.

It should compile out the box under Linux.  I have developed on a custom Linux 2.2.1 box with egcs 1.1.1 and glib 2.1.
There should be little work in porting to other OS's.

BTW, the source is C++ :).

Bugs:
There are no known bugs as such.  I am sure that the parser could be a lot better in handling errors, but if
you have your dns set up properly, there should be no errors.

The sample files provided are modified versions of our dns.  They probably don't work.

I don't think that the serial number code is Y4K safe :(


John Newbigin.

jn@it.swin.edu.au
http://uranus.it.swin.edu.au/~jn



