DNS: Configure a Caching Only Name Server

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DNS: Configure a Caching Only Name Server

Creating a caching-only name server is the most basic type of BIND configuration. This configuration is the main building block for more advanced BIND configurations. Students will learn to configure a caching-only name server and test name resolution with the `nslookup` command.

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Lab Info

Level

Beginner

Last updated

Aug 08, 2025

Duration

15m

Challenge

Log in to the lab server with the `cloud_user` and issue `sudo -i` to gain root access.

$ ssh cloud_user@<"provided lab server IP">
Password:

$ sudo -i
[sudo] password for cloud_user: 
# 
# id
uid=0(root) gid=0(root) groups=0(root) context=unconfined_u:unconfined_r:unconfined_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023

Challenge

Install the `bind` and `bind-utils` packages.
```
# yum install -y bind bind-utils
```
Challenge

Verify the `named` configuration for `localhost`. Then check the configuration for syntax errors with the `named-checkconf` command.
```
# cat /etc/named.conf
```
```
# named-checkconf
```

Challenge

Start and enable the `named` service.

# systemctl start named
# systemctl enable named

Challenge

Run a DNS query against the DNS server defined in `/etc/resolv.conf`. Next, run a DNS query against `localhost`.
```
# nslookup google.com
```
```
# nslookup google.com localhost
```

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