Re: How to make DNS and DHCP server play nice?
Bill Moseley writes:
> On Thu, May 29, 2003 at 07:11:12PM -0400, Jerry Quinn wrote:
> > R Ransbottom writes:
> > >
> > >
> > > > This is great! I put in a wishlist to have dnsmasq read the dhcp
> > > > lease file out of the box. Then dnsmasq will really be plug and
> > > > play.
> > >
> > > Since only one dhcp server should exist on a segment it is a bad
> > > idea to have such a package work without, at least, forcing the user to
> > > set it up.
> >
> > However, dnsmasq already serves as a dns proxy out of the box for
> > whatever server was handed you by dhcp. And it reads your hosts
> > file. The package seems to be explicitly designed for this use (small
> > network dns service) and as such, I would think that finishing the job
> > would make sense. We're trying to make life easier for people, not
> > harder.
>
> I setup a machine for a friend about a year ago with dnsmasq. I just
> looked at my notes as I was wondering why I used dnsmasq instead of
> bind. I'd like to uppate my notes. Is the issue that dnsmask will
> watch resolve.conf for changes where it's hard(er) to make bind do that?
That's one. You don't have to go out of your way in the simple case
to get dnsmasq to forward dns requests upstream. It also incorporates
/etc/hosts into its cache.
The real value for me is that dnsmasq will watch dhcpd.leases and
incorporate dynamic IP clients into its cache. I have the common
configuration of a single gateway with a handful of machines behind
it. Running dhcp on the gateway makes it simpler to admin internal
addresses. And dnsmasq means I get name services for the dynamic
clients without working hard.
That saved me the two hours or so of forcing fixed dhcp addresses for
each client or setting up (and learning enough of) bind to permit
dynamic updates.
Jerry
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