rndc

Control BIND DNS server remotely

TLDR

Reload BIND configuration

$ rndc reload

Reload specific zone

$ rndc reload [example.com]

Show server status

$ rndc status

Flush cache

$ rndc flush

Stop server

$ rndc stop

DESCRIPTION

rndc (Remote Name Daemon Control) administers the BIND DNS server. It sends commands to named to reload zones, flush cache, and perform other management tasks.

PARAMETERS

-s server

Server address.

-p port

Port number.

-k keyfile

Key file.

-c config

Config file.

$ # Check status
rndc status

# Reload all
rndc reload

# Reload specific zone
rndc reload example.com

# Flush DNS cache
rndc flush

# Flush specific name
rndc flushname example.com

# Reload configuration only
rndc reconfig

# Check zone status
rndc zonestatus example.com

CONFIGURATION

/etc/rndc.conf

Main configuration file defining the authentication key, default server address, and port for connecting to named.

/etc/rndc.key

Shared HMAC key file used to authenticate rndc commands with the BIND server. Generated with rndc-confgen.

/etc/named.conf

BIND server configuration must include a matching controls block with the same key to accept rndc connections.

COMMANDS

reload [zone]

Reload config/zone.

status

Server status.

flush [view]

Flush cache.

stop

Stop server.

reconfig

Reload config only.

zonestatus zone

Zone status.

INSTALL

sudo apt install bind9-utils

sudo dnf install bind

sudo pacman -S bind

sudo apk add bind

sudo zypper install bind

brew install bind

nix profile install nixpkgs#bind

CAVEATS

Requires shared key with named. Default port 953. Generate key with rndc-confgen.

HISTORY

rndc is part of BIND (Berkeley Internet Name Domain) by ISC (Internet Systems Consortium).