Managing DNS Essential Training

Learn the fundamentals of administering and managing DNS servers on Windows, Linux, and Mac machines using dig and other DNS server technologies.

Introduction

• Welcome
• Prerequisites

1. Using DNS Every Day

• How DNS works: The executive summary
• How split-horizon DNS works
• Web browsing by number and name
• Lookups in Network Utility (OS X)
• Lookups in Terminal with dig
• Resolving DNS from different DNS servers
• How DHCP distributes DNS information to your network

2. The Fundamentals of DNS

• Query
• Recursion
• Caching

3. How DNS Is Organized as a System

• Components of DNS
• Recognizing different types of DNS servers and their functions
• Understanding DNS hierarchy
• Recognizing the names of common top-level domains
• Understanding root-level DNS servers
• Understanding the SOA and NS for a domain
• What is in a zone?

4. Resource Records

• pfSense BIND setup and type A records
• Explore AAAA records
• Understand CNAME records
• Configure MX records
• Explore TXT records
• Understand SRV records
• Limit email spoofing with SPF in a TXT record
• Explore PTR records

5. DNS Tips and Tricks

• Windows DNS dynamic updates
• Windows DNS auto PTR creation
• OS X Server AAAA record conundrum
• mDNSResponder logging levels in OS X
• Reset Linux, Windows, and Mac DNS caches
• Mac hosts file and resolv.conf explained
• mDNSresponder options in Mac OS X

6. DNS Server Options

• Use an Internet-based DNS provider
• Understand Internet DNS
• Internet DNS: A records and CNAME records
• Internet DNS: MX and SPF records
• Windows Server 2012: DNS zone setup
• Windows Server 2012: Adding A, MX, and CNAME records
• Windows Server 2012: Adding SRV and SPF records
• Windows Server 2012: Creating reverse records
• Windows Server 2012: Using NSLookup to test results
• OS X Server: Primary zone configuration
• OS X Server: Set resource records
• OS X Server: Set up a secondary zone for redundancy

Goodbye

• Additional books and resources to continue your study
• Thank you and goodbye