TCP/IP Information
Copyright © 1997 by International Business Machines Corporation

DDNS Server Administrator Help


Tasks

After you start the DDNS Server Administrator program, you can create, modify, or view the configuration for a name server. This section describes the basic required steps for the primary tasks. For more information, see the DDNS Server Administrator program windows and notebooks. The primary tasks are:


Start the DDNS Server Administrator Program

Note:

When you start the DDNS Server Administrator program, you will be prompted for a password. If you have forgotten the password or want to change it, use the TCP/IP Administrator Password program.

To configure a name server that has the DDNS Server Administrator program installed, click the DDNS Server Administrator icon to start the program and display the main window (the DDNS Server Administrator Window).

To configure a remote name server that has the TCP/IP login file installed:

Note:

For information on setting up the TCP/IP login file, see the online guide DNS Administration.

  1. Point a browser enabled for Java 1.1 at the TCP/IP login file on the name server.

  2. On the TCP/IP login page, click the DDNS Server Administrator icon to start the program and display the main window (the DDNS Server Administrator Window).

If a boot file (NAMED.BT or NAMED.BOOT) exists in the NAMEDB subdirectory in the directory specified by the ETC environment variable on the server being configured, the boot file is opened when the DDNS Server Administrator program starts. If a boot file does not exist in that directory, the Domain Name Server Notebook will be displayed to enable you to create a new configuration.

If a boot file exists but is not in that directory, click File, Open on the menu bar of the DDNS Server Administrator Window.

Note:

When the configuration is saved, the boot file will be saved in the NAMEDB subdirectory in the directory specified by the ETC environment variable. If the boot file read in contains a directory statement, the directory specified is incorporated into the path names for the appropriate files and the directory statement is removed. Any bogusns, check-names, include, limit, options, sortlist, stub, or xfrnets statements that are in the boot file when it is read in are written as is, without any validation, when the boot file is saved.

Create a New Configuration

Note:

Creating a new configuration will overwrite the configuration files for any existing configuration.
To create a new configuration:

  1. Click File, New on the menu bar. The Domain Name Server Notebook is displayed.

  2. Identify the name server. To do that, verify that the information for the name server on the Server tab is correct or make the necessary changes. The default is the name of the server that you are configuring.

    Note:

    You must configure a name server before you can configure anything else.

  3. Click OK to close the Domain Name Server Notebook.

    Note:

    You can now add items such as domains and hosts to the new configuration.

  4. Click File, Save to save the new configuration.

Open an Existing Configuration

To open an existing configuration:

  1. Click File, Open on the menu bar to open the Open Boot File Window.

  2. Type the full path and name of the boot file for the configuration you want to open.

  3. Click OK to read in the configuration.

Note:

If the boot file read in contains a directory statement, the directory specified is incorporated into the path names for the appropriate files and the directory statement is removed. Any bogusns, check-names, include, limit, options, sortlist, stub, or xfrnets statements that are in the boot file when it is read in are written as is, without any validation, when the boot file is saved.

Configure Name Server Properties

The tasks for configuring name server properties are:

Identify the Name Server

Note:

For new configurations, you must identify the name server before you can configure anything else.

To identify the name server:

  1. Use the Domain Name Server Notebook, which is displayed automatically for a new configuration.

    Note:

    To reopen the Domain Name Server Notebook if you closed it before identifying the name server, click File, New on the menu bar.

  2. Verify that the information displayed for the name server on the Server tab is correct, or make the necessary changes.

  3. Click OK.

Modify the Name Server

To modify the name server:

  1. Open the Domain Name Server Notebook. To do that, double-click the name server (or select the name server and then use the menu bar, the tool bar, or the pop-up menu for the name server).

  2. Modify the desired fields.

  3. Click OK.

Configure the Name Server as Primary for a Domain

The tasks for configuring the name server as primary for a domain are:

Add a Primary Dynamic Domain

To add a primary dynamic domain:

  1. Open the Primary Domain Notebook. To do that, click Add Primary Domain on the Configure pull-down menu, on the tool bar, on the pop-up menu for the name server, or on the pop-up menu for the Primary Domains label.

  2. On the Domain Configuration tab, type the complete domain name.

  3. If desired, set the security mode to presecured:

    1. Click the Dynamic Options button to go to the Dynamic Options Notebook.

    2. Check the Only System Administrator Can Create Client's Host Name check box.

    3. Click OK (to close the Dynamic Options Notebook).

  4. Click OK (to close the Primary Domain Notebook).

Add a Primary Static Domain

To add a primary static domain:

  1. Open the Primary Domain Notebook. To do that, click Add Primary Domain on the Configure pull-down menu, on the tool bar, on the pop-up menu for the name server, or on the pop-up menu for the Primary Domains label.

  2. On the Domain Configuration tab, type the complete domain name and specify the domain type as static.

  3. Click OK.

Modify a Primary Domain

To modify a primary domain:

  1. Open the Primary Domain Notebook. To do that, double-click the domain (or select the domain and then use the menu bar, the tool bar, or the pop-up menu for the domain).

  2. Modify the desired fields.

  3. Click OK.

Remove a Primary Domain

To remove a primary domain:

  1. Select the domain.

  2. Click Delete on the Edit pull-down menu or on the pop-up menu for the selected domain.

  3. Click Yes to complete the deletion.

Configure the Name Server as Secondary for a Domain

The tasks for configuring the name server as secondary for a domain are:

Add a Secondary Domain

To add a secondary domain:

  1. Open the Secondary Domain Notebook. To do that, click Add Secondary Domain on the Configure pull-down menu, on the tool bar, on the pop-up menu for the name server, or on the pop-up menu for the Secondary Domains label.

  2. On the Domain Configuration tab, type the complete domain name and specify at least one master server.

  3. Click OK.

Modify a Secondary Domain

To modify a secondary domain:

  1. Open the Secondary Domain Notebook. To do that, double-click the domain (or select the domain and then use the menu bar, the tool bar, or the pop-up menu for the domain).

  2. Change the desired fields.

  3. Click OK.

Remove a Secondary Domain

To remove a secondary domain:

  1. Select the domain.

  2. Click Delete on the Edit pull-down menu or on the pop-up menu for the selected domain.

  3. Click Yes to complete the deletion.

Configure Hosts in a Primary Domain

The tasks for configuring hosts in a primary domain are:

Add Static Hosts

To add one or more static hosts:

  1. Open the Add Hosts Window. To do that, select a primary domain and then click Add Host on the Configure pull-down menu, on the tool bar, or on the pop-up menu for the selected primary domain.

  2. Specify the host to add, as follows. To add several hosts, repeat this step as many times as necessary.
    1. Select the domain.
    2. Type the host name and IP address.
    3. Click Add.

  3. Click OK.

Modify a Host

To modify a host:

  1. Open the Host Notebook. To do that, double-click the host (or select the host and then use the menu bar, the tool bar, or the pop-up menu for the host).

  2. Change the desired fields.

    Note:

    You cannot change the host and domain names.

  3. Click OK.

Remove a Host

To remove a host:

  1. Select the host.

  2. Click Delete on the Edit pull-down menu or on the pop-up menu for the selected host.

  3. Click Yes to complete the deletion.

Note:

When you delete a dynamic host, the host becomes a reserved name because the SIG resource records cannot be deleted by the DDNS Server Administrator program.

Configure an Alias Host in a Primary Domain

The tasks for configuring an alias host in a primary domain are:

Add a Static Alias

To add a static alias (an alias for a static host):

  1. Open the Alias Host Notebook. To do that, select a primary domain and then click Add Alias on the Configure pull-down menu, on the tool bar, or on the pop-up menu for the selected primary domain.

  2. On the Alias Configuration tab, type the complete name of the host that the alias will reference and the alias name.

  3. Select the domain in which to add the alias.

  4. Click OK.

Modify an Alias

To modify an alias:

  1. Open the Alias Host Notebook. To do that, double-click the alias (or select the alias and use the menu bar, the tool bar, or the pop-up menu for the alias).

  2. Change the desired fields.

    Note:

    You cannot change the alias and domain names.

  3. Click OK.

Remove an Alias

To remove an alias:

  1. Select the alias.

  2. Click Delete on the Edit pull-down menu or on the pop-up menu for the selected alias.

  3. Click Yes to complete the deletion.

Note:

When you delete a dynamic alias, the alias becomes a reserved name because the SIG resource records cannot be deleted by the DDNS Server Administrator program.

Configure a Reverse Mapping for a Host

The tasks for configuring a reverse mapping for a host (a reverse host) are:

Add a Static Reverse Mapping for a Host

Note:

Although you can add a reverse mapping for a host (a reverse host), the DDNS Server Administrator program does it automatically by default whenever you add a host to a domain created with the DDNS Server Administrator program. The default is set in the Primary Domain Notebook, on the Domain Options tab, by the Automatically Create Reverse Mappings for Statically Defined Hosts in This Domain check box.

To add a static reverse mapping for a host:

  1. Select a reverse domain.

  2. Click Add Host on the pop-up menu for the selected reverse domain to open the Reverse Mapping for Host Notebook.

  3. On the Reverse Mapping Configuration tab, type the IP address and the complete name of the host to which to map.

  4. Click OK.

Modify a Reverse Mapping for a Host

To modify a reverse mapping for a host:

  1. Open the Reverse Mapping for Host Notebook. To do that, double-click the reverse host (or select the reverse host and then use the menu bar, the tool bar, or the pop-up menu for the reverse host).

  2. Change the desired fields.

  3. Click OK.

Remove a Reverse Mapping for a Host

To remove a reverse mapping for a host:

  1. Select the reverse host.

  2. Click Delete on the Edit pull-down menu or on the pop-up menu for the selected reverse host.

  3. Click Yes to complete the deletion.

Note:

When you delete a dynamic reverse host, the reverse host becomes a reserved name because the SIG resource records cannot be deleted by the DDNS Server Administrator program.

Generate Keys for Hosts in a Presecured Dynamic Domain

Note:

Each host for which a key is created will be shown in the DDNS Server Administrator program as a reserved name.

To generate keys for hosts in a presecured dynamic domain:

  1. Open the Primary Domain Notebook for a dynamic presecured domain. To do that, double-click the domain (or select the domain and then use the menu bar, the tool bar, or the pop-up menu for the selected domain).

  2. On the Domain Configuration tab, click the Dynamic Options button to open the Dynamic Options Notebook.

  3. Click the Generate Keys for Hosts button to display the Generate Keys Window.

  4. For each host for which you want to create a key:
    1. Type the host name.
    2. Click Add.

  5. Click OK to close the Generate Keys Window.

  6. Click OK to close the Dynamic Options Notebook.

  7. Click OK to close the Primary Domain Notebook and generate the keys.

Convert Reserved Names

The tasks for converting reserved names are:

Convert a Reserved Name to a Dynamic Alias

To convert a reserved name to a dynamic alias:

  1. Click Convert to Alias on the pop-up menu for the reserved name to open the Alias Host Notebook.

  2. On the Alias Configuration tab, type the complete host name.

  3. Click OK.

Convert a Reserved Name to a Dynamic Host

To convert a reserved name to a dynamic host:

  1. Click Convert to Host on the pop-up menu for the reserved name to open the Host Notebook.

  2. Type information on at least one of the tabs. If you type information on the Comments tab, you must also type information on at least one other tab.

  3. Click OK.

Control the Name Server

The tasks for controlling the name server are:

Stop the Name Server

To stop the name server, click Server, Stop the Name Server.

Start the Name Server

To start the name server, click Server, Start the Name Server.

Note:

When the name server is started, it reads in the most recently saved configuration data.

Reinitialize the Name Server

To reinitialize the name server, click Server, Reinitialize the Name Server.

Note:

When the name server is reinitialized, it reads in the most recently saved configuration data.

Check the Name Server Status

To check the name server status, click Server, Check the Name Server Status to display the Server Status Window. If desired, you can change the status.


View Configuration File Data

The tasks for viewing configuration file data are:

Note:

When you view configuration file data, you see the configuration data that represents the current configuration in the DDNS Server Administrator program, that is, the data that would be written if the configuration were saved.

View Boot File Data

To view the boot file data that represents the current configuration in the DDNS Server Administrator program:

  1. Select the name server.

  2. Click View, Boot File Data on the menu bar or View Boot File Data on the pop-up menu for the name server to display the Boot File Data Window.

  3. When you have finished viewing the data, click OK.

Note:

If the boot file read in contains a directory statement, the directory specified is incorporated into the path names for the appropriate files and the directory statement is removed. Any bogusns, check-names, include, limit, options, sortlist, stub, or xfrnets statements that are in the boot file when it is read in are written as is, without any validation, when the boot file is saved.

View Root Server File Data

To view the root server file data that represents the current configuration in the DDNS Server Administrator program:

  1. Select the name server.

  2. Click View, Root Server Data on the pop-up menu for the name server to display the Root Server Data Window.

  3. When you have finished viewing the data, click OK.

View Domain Data

To view domain data in the domain file that represents the current configuration in the DDNS Server Administrator program:

  1. Select a domain.

  2. Click View, Domain Record Data on the menu bar or click View Domain Records on the pop-up menu for the selected domain to display the Domain Data Window.

  3. When you have finished viewing the data, click OK.

View Host, Alias, or Reserved Name Resource Records

To view the resource records for a host, alias, or reserved name that represent the current configuration in the DDNS Server Administrator program:

  1. Select the host, alias, or reserved name.

  2. Click View Records on the pop-up menu of the selected item to display the Resource Records Window.

  3. When you have finished viewing the data, click OK.

View Configuration File Errors

To view configuration file errors:

  1. Click View, Configuration File Errors on the menu bar to display the Configuration File Errors Notebook.

  2. When you have finished viewing the data, click OK.

Note:

If the boot file read in contains a directory statement, the directory specified is incorporated into the path names for the appropriate files and the directory statement is removed. Any bogusns, check-names, include, limit, options, sortlist, stub, or xfrnets statements that are in the boot file when it is read in are written as is, without any validation, when the boot file is saved.

Control the Name Server and Host Panes

The tasks for controlling the name server and host panes are:

Collapse and Expand the Name Server and Host Panes

To collapse the name server pane, click the minus signs (-) beside the name server and the Primary Domains and Secondary Domains labels.

To expand the name server pane to see the domains, click the plus signs (+) beside the name server and the Primary Domains and Secondary Domains labels.

To collapse the host pane, click the minus sign (-) beside the domain name.

To expand the host pane, click the plus sign (+) beside the domain name.

To collapse both the name server and host panes, click View, Collapse All on the menu bar.

To expand both the name server and host panes, click View, Expand All on the menu bar.

Control Whether the Host Pane Is Displayed

To turn off the display of the host pane, click View, Show No Hosts on the menu bar.

To turn on the display of the host pane, click View, Show All Hosts or View, Show n Hosts on the menu bar (where n is the number specified in Edit, Settings, Number of Hosts to Show).

Set the Number of Hosts Displayed

To set the number of hosts displayed at one time in the host pane:

  1. Click Edit, Settings, Number of Hosts to Show on the menu bar to open the Number of Hosts Notebook.

  2. Type the desired number in the input field.

  3. Click OK.

Change the Host Pane Column Sizes

To change the sizes of the name and address columns in the host pane:

  1. Point the mouse at the boundary between the name and address columns in the host pane.

  2. While pressing and holding mouse button 2, move the boundary to the left or right to change the columns to the desired widths.

  3. Release mouse button 2.


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