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Configuring the Domain Name Service

Secondary servers

A secondary server functions as a backup to the primary server, should the primary be unreachable or down. It maintains a copy of the zone file (the host database for the zone) and, at a specified interval defined by the refresh variable, retrieves the contents of the primary's file. If it cannot reach the primary for a refresh, it tries again at intervals defined by the retry variable and, if it cannot reach the primary within the time specified by the expire variable, the data is flushed.

When a secondary server answers a client request, it attaches an expiration (specified by the time-to-live variable for the data after which the data is considered invalid. The time-to-live value is specified in the SOA (start of authority) resource record contained in the zone's database file.

A server may serve as a secondary for one or more zones and a primary for others.

Root servers are used to help the secondary server find routes to other zones.

See also:


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SCO OpenServer Release 5.0.7 -- 11 February 2003