BIND Name Server and Resolver Statements

Contents:
BIND Name Server Boot File Statements
BIND Resolver Statements

BIND Name Server Boot File Statements

Here's a handy list of all the boot file statements for the BIND name server. Some of the statements only exist in later versions, so your server may not support them yet. The version 4 statements are labeled with a specific version number (4.9.3), or if they've been around a long time, they are labeled with a generic version number (4.X.X). The version 8 statements are labeled 8.X.X.

directory (4.X.X)

Function:
Changes the current working directory
Syntax:
```
directory new-directory
```
Example:
```
directory /var/named
```
See also:
X.X options statement, directory
Covered in:
Setting Up BIND

primary

Function:
Declares a name server as the primary master for a zone
Syntax:
```
primary domain-name-of-zone file
```
Example:
```
primary movie.edu db.movie
```
See also:
X.X zone statement, type master
Covered in:

secondary

Function:
Declares a name server as a slave for a zone
Syntax:

secondary domain-name-of-zone ip-address-list [backup-file]

Example:

secondary movie.edu 192.249.249.3 db.movie

See also:
X.X zone statement, type slave
Covered in:

cache

Function:
Defines the name of the file from which to load the root hints (the names and addresses of the root name servers)
Syntax:
```
cache domain-name file
```
Example:
```
cache . db.cache
```
See also:
X.X zone statement, type hint
Covered in:

forwarders

Function:
Defines name server(s) to send unresolved queries to
Syntax:
```
forwarders ip-address-list
```
Example:
```
forwarders 192.249.249.1 192.249.249.3
```
See also:
X.X options statement, forwarders
Covered in:
Advanced Features and Security

sortlist

Function:
Specifies network numbers to prefer over others
Syntax:
```
sortlist network-list
```
Example:
```
sortlist 10.0.0.0
```
See also:
This feature is not supported in version 8.X.X
Covered in:

slave

This statement is the same as the 4.9.3 statement options forward-only and the 8.X.X options statement forward.

include (4.9.3)

Function:
Includes the contents of another file in named.boot
Syntax:
```
include file
```
Example:
```
include bootfile.primary
```
See also:
X.X include statement
Covered in:
Maintaining BIND

stub (4.9.3)

Function:
Specifies a child zone that your server should periodically get delegation information for
Syntax:

stub domain ip-address-list [backup-file]

Example:

stub movie.edu 192.249.249.3 stub.movie

See also:
X.X zone statement, type stub
Covered in:
Parenting

options (4.9.3)

`options forward-only`

Function:
Prevents your name server from resolving domain names independently of a forwarder
See also:
X.X option statement, forward
Covered in:

`options no-recursion`

Function:
Prevents your name server from performing recursive resolution of domain names
See also:
X.X options statement, recursion
Covered in:

`options no-fetch-glue`

Function:
Prevents your name server from fetching missing glue when constructing a response
See also:
X.X options statement, fetch-glue
Covered in:

`options query-log`

Function:
Logs all queries received by your name server
See also:
X.X logging statement, category queries
Covered in:
and Troubleshooting DNS and BIND

`options` fake-iquery

Function:
Tells your name server to respond to old-fashioned inverse queries with a fake answer instead of an error
See also:
X.X options statement, fake-iquery
Covered in:
nslookup

limit (4.9.3)

`limit transfers-in`

Function:
Restricts the total number of zone transfers your name server will attempt at any one time
See also:
X.X options statement, transfers-in

`limit transfers-per-ns`

Function:
Restricts the number of zone transfers your name server will request from any one server simultaneously
See also:
X.X options statement, transfers-per-ns

`limit datasize`

Function:
Increases the size of the data segment named uses (only works on some operating systems)
See also:
X.X options statement, datasize
All covered in:

xfrnets (4.9.3)

Function:
Restricts zone transfers from your name server to a list of IP addresses or networks
Syntax:
```
xfrnets ip-address-or-network-list
```
Example:
```
xfrnets 15.0.0.0 128.32.0.0
```
See also:
X.X options statement, allow-transfer
Covered in:

bogusns (4.9.3)

Function:
Tells your name server not to query a list of name servers that are known to give bad answers
Syntax:
```
bogusns ip-address-list
```
Example:
```
bogusns 15.255.152.4
```
See also:
X.X server statement, bogus
Covered in:

check-names (4.9.4)

Function:
Modifies the name-checking feature
Syntax:

check-names primary/secondary/response fail/warn/ignore

Example:
```
check-names primary ignore
```
See also:
X.X options statement, check-names
Covered in:

acl (8.X.X)

Function:
Creates a named address match list
Syntax:
```
acl name {
 address_match_list };
```
Covered in:

include (8.X.X)

Function:
Inserts the specified file at the point that the include statement is encountered
Syntax:
```
include path_name;
```
Covered in:

key (8.1.1)

Function:
Defines a key ID which can be used in a server statement to associate an authentication method with a particular name server. The key statement is intended for future use by the server. In version 8.1.1, it is checked for syntax but is otherwise ignored
Syntax:

key key_id {
 algorithm algorithm_id; secret secret_string;
};

logging (8.X.X)

Function:
Defines the logging behavior
Syntax:

logging {
 [ channel channel_name {
 ( file path_name [ versions ( number | unlimited ) ] [ size size_spec ] | syslog ( kern | user | mail | daemon | auth | syslog | lpr | news | uucp | cron | authpriv | ftp | local0 | local1 | local2 | local3 | local4 | local5 | local6 | local7 ) | null ); [ severity ( critical | error | warning | notice | info | debug [ level ] | dynamic ); ] [ print-category yes_or_no; ] [ print-severity yes_or_no; ] [ print-time yes_or_no; ] };
 ] [ category category_name {
 channel_name; [ channel_name; ... ] };
 ] ... };

Covered in:

options (8.X.X)

Function:
Sets up global options
Syntax:

options {
 [ directory path_name; ] [ named-xfer path_name; ] [ dump-file path_name; ] [ pid-file path_name; ] [ statistics-file path_name; ] [ auth-nxdomain yes_or_no; ] [ fake-iquery yes_or_no; ] [ fetch-glue yes_or_no; ] [ multiple-cnames yes_or_no; ] [ notify yes_or_no; ] [ recursion yes_or_no; ] [ forward ( only | first ); ] [ forwarders {
 [ in_addr ; [ in_addr ; ... ] ] };
 ] [ check-names ( master | slave | response ) ( warn | fail | ignore);] [ allow-query {
 address_match_list };
 ] [ allow-transfer {
 address_match_list };
 ] [ listen-on [ port ip_port ] {
 address_match_list };
 ] [ query-source [ address ( ip_addr | * ) ] [ port ( ip_port | * ) ];] [ max-transfer-time-in number; ] [ transfer-format ( one-answer | many-answers ); ] [ transfers-in number; ] [ transfers-out number; ] [ transfers-per-ns number; ] [ coresize size_spec ; ] [ datasize size_spec ; ] [ files size_spec ; ] [ stacksize size_spec ; ] [ cleaning-interval number; ] [ interface-interval number; ] [ statistics-interval number; ] [ topology {
 address_match_list };
 ] };

Covered in:
Miscellaneous

server (8.X.X)

Function:
Defines the characteristics to be associated with a remote name server
Syntax:

server ip_addr {
 [ bogus yes_or_no; ] [ transfers number; ] [ transfer-format ( one-answer | many-answers ); ] [ keys {
 key_id [key_id ... ] };
 ] };

Covered in:

zone (8.X.X)

Function:
Defines the zones maintained by the name server
Syntax:

zone domain_name [ ( in | hs | hesiod | chaos ) ] {
 type master; file path_name; [ check-names ( warn | fail | ignore ); ] [ allow-update {
 address_match_list };
 ] [ allow-query {
 address_match_list };
 ] [ allow-transfer {
 address_match_list };
 ] [ notify yes_or_no; ] [ also-notify {
 ip_addr; [ ip_addr; ... ] };
};
 zone domain_name [ ( in | hs | hesiod | chaos ) ] {
 type ( slave | stub ); [ file path_name; ] masters {
 ip_addr; [ ip_addr; ... ] };
 [ check-names ( warn | fail | ignore ); ] [ allow-update {
 address_match_list };
 ] [ allow-query {
 address_match_list };
 ] [ allow-transfer {
 address_match_list };
 ] [ max-transfer-time-in number; ] [ notify yes_or_no; ] [ also-notify {
 ip_addr; [ ip_addr; ... ] };
};
 zone . [ ( in | hs | hesiod | chaos ) ] {
 type hint; file path_name; [ check-names ( warn | fail | ignore ); ] };

Covered in: