Diversify DNS using cPanel/WHM? Impossible?

[jols]

One thing that has always puzzled me. It seems as if it is a necessity to host DNS records locally, using the DNS system via WHM, if you want to give your hosted customers full facility to add sub-domains, etc. and this is fine. But what about putting ns1.host.com and ns2.host.com on separate servers? This is recommended over and over again by various DNS testing systems, yet if you do this using cPanel, and if traffic ever ever falls over to the ns2.host.com (off server) name server, then all the added local DNS record additions go null. You know, those DNS CNAME additions that are created when you input a new sub-domain or addon domain using cPanel, etc.

Those DNS record additions are of course only added to the local server where ns1.host.com points, but not to ns2.host.com. Thus my question: How can you realistically diversify DNS, and make this work when using cPanel?

[nickp666]

The DNSONLY version of cPanel was designed to counter this, you can properly cluster cPanel and non-cpanel dns servers with this

[jols]

Thanks for your response. Is there a specific step-by-step somewhere?

[nickp666]

not really, the install procedure is simpler than a standard cpanel install so I dont think most people will need a howto

[jols]

Sorry, I just don't get it. We've been using cPanel for over 6 years now, and I just never got a hint about this proceedure. Does anyone know if there is even a description at cpanel.net about this?

[nickp666]

On a cleanly built server:

wget http://layer1.cpanel.net/cpanel-dnsonly-install.sea

Then:

sh cpanel-dnsonly-install.sea

And let it run

[kipper3d]

Ok I have set up dns only myself on 2 different servers.

Now my question is this. Wheres to docs on how to go about this properly? I have not found any docs regarding dns only cpanel except clustering start guide which is minimal at best.

Tell me if this is correct?

Server1
Log into WHM, enable clustering and add ip to dns1 server and the add remote access key from dns1 to server1 and dns role to synchronize.
Add another for dns2 with dns role to synchronize

Server2
Same as above to dns1 and dns2


Now on dns 1 and dns2 we just enable clustering
Add server01 and server02 with dns role as standalone

question: shouldn't I be able to view the zones on dns1 and dns2? Im not seeing anything - no dns zone options.

My optimal goal is to make dns1 and dns2 server the dns but make changes to individual dns from server1 and 2.

Thanks!

-John

[nickp666]

question: shouldn't I be able to view the zones on dns1 and dns2? Im not seeing anything - no dns zone options.

Unfortunately not, DNSONLY only provides a means for zone synchronization, you have to edit the dns zones either manually from the shell or from a standard cPanel server on the cluster

[jols]

On a cleanly built server:

wget http://layer1.cpanel.net/cpanel-dnsonly-install.sea

Then:

sh cpanel-dnsonly-install.sea

And let it run

Okay, thanks Nick. But it would be nice to have a bit more detail. For example, what exactly does this do? Does this mean that this particular server would then do nothing but host DNS?, i.e. no email services, no http, no mysql, just and only sort of a DNS zombie controlled by other servers?

[nickp666]

Those commands install a VERY minimal installation of WHM and BIND, which enable you to add the server to the DNS cluster and synchronize DNS zones between your cPanel servers and this standalone, it has no zone editing capabilities, it is purely for keeping zones in sync with a non-cpanel server.