Mapping hostnames to the correct IP address

First off I'd like to say I'm sorry for such a long post, and thank those of you that acutally read it!!

We have a server with FreeBSD O/S

We've just moved our server from one location to another. Prior to the move we had around 300 or so domain names running on 10+ IP's. Everything was set up before I came aboard, so I really didn't know much about the Virtual Domaining or DNS. Since the move it appears that only a small amount of our domains are working. This only occured when I changed the IP's in the
virtual_host.conf file, stoped and restarted the web server.

The way I understand name-based is this: You need only configure your DNS server to map each hostname to the correct IP address and then configure the Apache HTTP Server to recognize the different hostnames.

I believe I have completed the Second part, but how do I assign each domain the correct IP address on the DNS Server?



Below is an example of my virtual_domains.conf file that apache uses on start up:

... I have changed the IP's to the new ones assigned

NameVirtualHost xxx.xxx.9.32
NameVirtualHost xxx.xxx.9.33
NameVirtualHost xxx.xxx.9.34
NameVirtualHost xxx.xxx.9.35
NameVirtualHost xxx.xxx.9.36
NameVirtualHost xxx.xxx.9.37

...I have a <VirtualHost tag for each one of my domains ...

<VirtualHost mydomain.com>
ServerName www.mydomain.com
ServerAlias mydomain.com
ServerAdmin webmaster@mydomain.com
ScriptAlias /cgi-bin/ /usr/local/www/mydomain.com/cgi-bin/
DocumentRoot /usr/local/www/mydomain.com
</VirtualHost>

...etc....

... then An alias with 20 or so domains that were listed above
... I assume this is how we are assigning multiple domains to the same
... IP addy?

<VirtualHost www.mydomain1.com>

ServerAlias *.mydomain.com
ServerAlias *.mydomain2.com
ServerAlias *.mydomain3.com
ServerAlias *.mydomain4.com
ServerAlias *.mydomain5.com
ServerAlias *.mydomain6.com
ServerName www.mydomain1.com

ServerAdmin webmaster@mydomain1.com
DocumentRoot /usr/local/www/mydomain1
DirectoryIndex index.html
</VirtualHost>


Since I have a few entry's in my appache config file like the one above I assume that I only have to assign the domain www.mydomain1.com a correct IP and the rest will use that
one?? (mydomain.com, mydomain2.com, mydomain3.com, etc..)


Anyone that uses FreeBSD know what file I need to modify in order to assign the domains an IP Addy? and what steps I need to take (Stop, restart anything, etc...)

Or Unix for that matter??

I appreciate the replies!! and is there any more inof you need?


Petey

>> how do I assign each domain the correct IP address on the DNS Server?

First off, I hope you are not using any CNAME in your zone records. If you do, you need to replace all that with A record. Say you have 100s, just define 100 A records.

>> <VirtualHost mydomain.com>

Don't use mydomain.com, use its IP instead.

>> then An alias with 20 or so domains

Don't define multiple ServerAlias lines. Put all domains on a single line.

>> what file I need to modify in order to assign the domains an IP Addy?

Are you running BIND?

>> is there any more inof you need?

Yes. Why don't you post the zone record of a domain that's not working.

Sorry for my ignorance, b/c I'm new to the whole Virtual domaining, DNS world.


How do I know if :

"I'm not using any CNAME in your zone records. If you do, you need to replace all that with A record. Say you have 100s, just define 100 A records"

and if I'm running bind and where to find a zone record of a non-working domain to display here? (file names?)

I understand about using IP's instead of mydomain.com, and multiple aliases on one line.

Like I said, this originally wasn't my baby, but something I just inherited. If I have to redo the whole config script, then it won't be a problem if I can get a little guidence.

I really appriciate the replies, b/c at this moment I'm lost.


Thanks!

>> where to find a zone record of a non-working domain to display here?

It could be anywhere. By default it's under /etc/namedb.

cd to /var/db/pkg, check and see if and bind* directory is there. If so, then you are not using the default, you then need to check several location: /usr/local/etc and /var.

In the meantime, why don't you just post the domain name in question?

I have many that aren't working, but here are two

www.pourvoirienortheast.com
www.crosslakelodge.com

I have a bind* file in the /var/db/pkg dir.

I would assume it may be in /usr/local/etc, but I'm not sure what I'm looking for.


Exactually what am I looking for as far as a zone record??

>> Exactually what am I looking for as far as a zone record??

Don't worry about it for now since I have found your problems.

1) ccom.net:
- change the SOA's serial format to be YYYYMMDDHH so ns2.ccom.net can recognize and request zone transfer when necessary

2) pourvoirienortheast.com and crosslakelodge.com:
- ns1.ccom.net and ns2.ccom.net are not authoritative for both domains, this is so-called lame servers
- you need to have SOA record, it's required. Right now both domains don't even have SOA record, which is likely the cause for being lame servers.

Those are two new domains that were just pointed to ns1.ccom.net and ns2.ccom.net

here's an existing domain that should work but doesn't

www.huntingcaribou.com

when I stop and restart the apache server I get a lot of "unable to resolve host" errors that I never got before at the other location.

Thanks for the help, but the two domains above may be a totally different problem than this one, b/c I just registered them??

Also is an SOA record created on my end or on ccom.net. (which house my server) if so where.

Sorry for all of the elementary questions but I'm starting from ground on one this one

>> here's an existing domain that should work but doesn't

Because NS record for ns2.ccom.net is missing plus the incorrect format of SOA serial.

>> b/c I just registered them?

No. It's because you need SOA record for each domain that you host. Plus right now your ns1.ccom.net can't communicate with ns2.ccom.net because of incorrect serial.

Thanks!!

How are you finding this all out?

Anyhow my last question is this.....

Is this something that I do on my server ( SOA's serial format to be YYYYMMDDHH ) and SOA records for each domain

or is it on ccom.net side??

They house my server. I'm not all familiar on how everything works as a whole, or where exactually everything needs done.

I guess all I need is it to be shown to me one time in order to figure out the rest, if it needs done on my server.

Thanks Again!

>> How are you finding this all out?

Using the most reliable DNS diagnostic tools: dnsq, dnstrace and others, from djbdns package.

>> Is this something that I do on my server

Both yours and ccom.net. You also should lower the SOA refresh for all domains in question so ns2 can pick up the changes of ns1 sooner.

>> They house my server

40%, if not most, of DNS administrators and individuals all over the world are DNS illiterated because they use BIND and learned too many misconception.

>> How are you finding this all out?

Using the most reliable DNS diagnostic tools: dnsq, dnstrace and others, from djbdns package.

>> Is this something that I do on my server

Both yours and ccom.net. You also should lower the SOA refresh for all domains in question so ns2 can pick up the changes of ns1 sooner.

>> They house my server

40%, if not most, of DNS administrators and individuals all over the world are DNS illiterated because they use BIND and learned too many misconception.

-->> AGREE on the above statement.

freebsd...thank you for your information and advice.

I have to deal with the current DNS system set up by the previous System Admin. Do you know a tool that I need to edit the SOA for each domain name in my /var/named directory? To tell you the truth I have a lot of domains to change the SOA. Like you know masschanging without editing the file one by one.

Thanks first of all. and hope to hear from you soon.

Sorry I don't know any tool for that purpose but I am sure there are plenty out there (if you search google).
BTW, BIND's zone data format is ugly. It'd be easy to do zone parsing/editing if you run tinydns (from djbdns package).