[ubuntu-in] Setting up a local DNS

[Ritesh Sinha]

On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 6:22 PM, Ninad Pundalik <ninadsp16289 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
>> Another way to (slightly to greatly depending on your network)
>> increase performance on networks that take very long for DNS
>> resolutions is to use BIND server installed in a caching only
>> configuration, with the OpenDNS server (or another DNS server) set as
>> forwarders.
>
> I know this reply is coming in slightly late.  But, instead of going
> to the lengths of setting up and configuring a BIND server, I'd
> suggest a simpler solution. Install a DNS cacher, like dnsmasq or
> nscd.  This is especially useful if your computer is going to be
> online and switched on for a fair amount of time, more than a few
> hours, and you mainly browse the net in that time.  It's easier to
> configure it, and using it is also easy.  Go through the config files
> once, and post to the list in case you have problems. :

Well the lengths one has to go to configure BIND as a caching
nameserver these days are
1. sudo apt-get install bind9
2. edit /etc/bind/named.conf.options to uncomment the forwarders line
and add two or three forwarders.
3. Modify /etc/dhcp3/dhclient.conf (which any self respecting person
would've done at least once to add OpenDNS)
4. Profit :)

The default install of BIND9 on Ubuntu _is_ a caching nameserver. Also
there is no reason to fear that BIND sucking your valuable system
resources. I can attest to the fact that it doesn't cause my 5 yr old
laptop to slow down in any way.

The other reason I advocate BIND is just that it gives you an
opportunity to play with an "enterprise class", standard DNS server if
you so wish to on a lazy Sunday afternoon (Yes, I understand that it
is a moot point for day to day users, but for the majority of us IT
folks should fool around with it to learn more).

Again, the reason Open Source is great is because it's all about
choice; dnsmasq and nscd are two equally good choices to solve this
problem.

Regards,

Ritesh