Advanced DNS Training

Duration:1 day. This course can also be added to the Basic DNS Course to create a three day course.

La formation est aussi disponible en français.

Other courses: Basic DNS, DNS Security, DNS and Telephony (VoIP), DNS and IPv6, DNS on Windows Servers, LDAP Courses, Telecommunications/SS7 courses.

The primary focus of the course is BIND which is available on Linux, UNIX and Windows platforms. The course is offered with Linux (Fedora Core), FreeBSD or Windows 2003 as the platform for all excercises.

Summary

Reliable and robust operation of the DNS hierarchy - from the root servers to an individual domain name server - is critical to all Internet operations. The course covers administrative security, Stealth configurations, load-balancing, failover strategies, best practises and DHCP integration with DDNS. While the primary focus of the course is BIND other DNS software will be discussed.

Description

Students will review the theory behind the DNS hierarchy, the DNS protocol, forward and reverse mapping zone files. The DNS can be used for a number of purposes each of which is covered in detail: Stealth (DMZ) Configuration; Load-balancing and failover (strategies and limitations); securely auto-updating the DNS by integration with DHCP; administrative security and best-practices; SPF(TXT) RRs; Advanced Diagnostics and debugging. The course includes a number of hands on configuration exercises.

Audience:

The course is designed for experienced DNS administrators, Network and System Administrators and those who need an understanding of DNS capabilities.

About the Instructor

Ron Aitchison is the author of Pro DNS and BIND (Apress ISBN 1-59059-494-0) which was the first book to cover the new DNS security protocols (DNSSEC). Ron has been involved in communications and networking for more years than he cares to admit and is president and founder of Zytrax, Inc. a company specializing in IP communications (wired and wireless), systems development and consulting in Montreal, Canada. He has been involved with Open Source systems for over 10 years.

Outline

Module 1: DNS Refresher

• The DNS hierarchy (name servers and resolvers)
• Authoritative and cached responses
• Delegation - Parent and child domains
• Forward and Reverse mapping
• Zone files - best practice
• DNS types
• Diagnostic Tools - DIG, NSLOOKUP
• DNS software - options and overview

Module 2: DNS Security Basics

• Security overview
• Security threat analysis
• DNS security scope (Zone transfer, DDNS, Zone integrity)
• Stealth configuration
• Administrative security (jails, permissions, server configurations)
• BIND Logs
• BIND's server clause
• Cache Poisoning 101
• RNDC - advanced configuration
• Mail Anti-SPAM (SPF, DKIM)
• Software diversity

Module 3: Stealth Configurations

• Configuration objectives
• Authoritative Only servers
• Hidden Masters
• BIND's view clause - benefits and limitations
• BIND and NSD
• Implications - zone transfer, DDNS, logs
• Exercise

Module 4: Load-Balancing and Failover

• Objectives and Strategies
• DNS and other solutions
• RR type strategies
• Benefits and limitations
• rrset-order and sortlist
• Exercise

Module 5: DNS and DHCP

• Objectives and Strategies
• DDNS for auto-update of forward maps
• Reverse maps
• Securing DDNS
• IPv6 implications
• DNS in Heterogeneous environments (Windows/Linux/Unix)
• Exercise

Module 6: Summary

• Review
• Resources

Other courses: Basic DNS, DNS Security, DNS and Telephony (VoIP), DNS and IPv6.