named8 Daemon
Purpose
Provides the server function for the Domain Name Protocol.
Syntax
/usr/sbin/named8 [ -d DebugLevel ] [ -p PortNumber ] [ -c ConfFile ] [ -w WorkingDirectory ] [ -t RootDirectory ] [ -q ] [ -r ] [ -f ]
Description
The /usr/sbin/named8 daemon is the server for the Domain Name Protocol (DOMAIN). The named8 daemon runs on name server hosts and controls the domain-name resolution function.
Manipulating the named8 Daemon with the System Resource Controller
The named8 daemon is a subsystem controlled by the System Resource Controller (SRC). The named8 daemon is a member of the tcpip system group. This daemon is disabled by default and can be manipulated by the following SRC commands:
Item | Description |
---|---|
startsrc | Starts a subsystem, group of subsystems,or a subserver. |
stopsrc | Stops a subsystem, group of subsystems, or a subserver. |
refresh | Causes the named8 daemon to reread the /etc/named.conf file. Depending on the contents of the file, the refresh command may or may not reload the listed databases. |
traceson | Enables tracing of a subsystem, group of subsystems, or a subserver. |
tracesoff | Disables tracing of a subsystem, group of subsystems, or a subserver. |
lssrc | Gets the status of a subsystem, group of subsystems, or a subserver. |
Flags
Item | Description |
---|---|
-b | -cConfFile | Specifies an alternate configuration file. |
-dDebugLevel | Provides a debugging option. The -d flag causes the named8 daemon to write debugging information to a file named by default /var/tmp/named.run. The DebugLevel variable determines the level of messages printed, with valid levels from 1 to 11, where level 11 supplies the most information. |
-pPortNumber | Reassigns the Internet socket where the named8 daemon listens for DOMAIN requests. If this variable is not specified, the named8 daemon listens to the socket defined in the /etc/services file; the entry in the /etc/services file begins with domain. |
-wWorkingDirectory | Changes the working directory of the named8 daemon. This option can be specified or overridden by the "directory" configuration option. |
-tRootDirectory | Specifies a directory to be the new root directory for the named8 daemon using the chroot command. |
-q | Enables logging of all name service queries. |
-r | Disables the server's ability to recurse and resolve queries outside of the server's local databases. |
-f | Indicates to run the name server daemon in the foreground rather than becoming a background job. |
Signals
The following signals have the specified effect when sent to the named8 daemon process using the kill command:
Item | Description |
---|---|
SIGHUP | The named8 daemon rereads the /etc/named.conffile. Depending on the contents of the file, the SIGHUP signal may or may not reload the listed databases. |
SIGILL | Dumps statistics data into named.stats. Statistics data is appended to the file. |
SIGINT | The named8 daemon dumps the
current database to a file named /var/tmp/named_dump.db. In the dump file, names with the label name error indicate negative cache entries. This happens when a server responds that the specified domain name does not exist. Names labeled as data error also indicate negative cache entries. This happens when a server responds that there are no records of the specified type for the (valid) domain name. |
SIGUSR1 | The named8 daemon turns on debugging; each subsequent SIGUSR1 signal increments the debugging level. The debugging information is written to the /var/tmp/named.run file. |
SIGUSR2 | The named8 daemon turns off debugging. |
Examples
- To start the named8 daemon normally, enter the following:
startsrc -s named
This command starts the daemon. You can use this command in the rc.tcpip file or on the command line. The -s flag specifies that the subsystem that follows is to be started. The process ID of the named8 daemon is stored in the /etc/named.pid file upon startup.
- To stop the named8 daemon normally, enter:
stopsrc -s named
This command stops the daemon. The -s flag specifies that the subsystem that follows is to be stopped.
- To get short status from the named8 daemon, enter:
lssrc -s named
This command returns the name of the daemon, the process ID of the daemon, and the state of the daemon (active or inactive).
- To enable debugging for the named8 daemon, enter:
traceson -s named
ORkill -30 `cat /etc/named.pid`
The named8 daemon turns on debugging in response to either of these commands; each subsequent command increments the debugging level. The debugging information is written to the /var/tmp/named.run file.
- To turn off debugging for the named8 daemon, enter:
tracesoff
ORkill -31 `cat /etc/named.pid`
Either of these commands immediately turns off all debugging.
- To start the named8 daemon at the highest debugging level
using the startsrc command, enter the following:
startsrc -s named -a -d11
This command writes debugging messages to the /var/tmp/named.run file.
Files
Item | Description |
---|---|
/usr/sbin/named8 | Contains the named8 daemon. |
/usr/sbin/named8-xfer | Provides the functionality of the worker name server's inbound zone transfer. |
/etc/named.conf | Specifies the configuration of the named8 daemon including some basic behaviors, logging options, and locations of the local databases. |
/etc/resolv.conf | Specifies the use of domain name services. |
/etc/rc.tcpip | Initializes daemons at each system restart. |
/etc/named.pid | Stores process ID. |
/etc/services | Defines socket service assignments. |
/usr/samples/tcpip/named.conf | Contains the sample named.conf file with directions for its use. |
/usr/samples/tcpip/named.data | Contains the sample DOMAIN data file with directions for its use. |
/usr/samples/tcpip/hosts.awk | Contains the sample awk script for converting an /etc/hosts file to an /etc/named.data file. This file also contains directions for its use. |
/usr/samples/tcpip/addrs.awk | Contains the sample awk script for converting an /etc/hosts file to an /etc/named.rev file. This file also contains directions for its use. |