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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Midlands, UK
    Posts
    114

    Question Nameservers question

    Hi all

    I'm thinking of a way to create a backup page for one of my sites incase the server goes down (doesn't happen often, but frustraiting nevertheless when it does).

    I want to setup a page on another host with some text along the lines of "There's a tech problem blah blah...".

    The domain name has nameservers 1 and 2 set to my main host. If I were to set 3 and 4 to my other host would 3 and 4 take over if 1 and 2 went down?

    It's important that 3 and 4 would only come into play if 1 and 2 went down because otherwise some people could be directed to the "problem" page when the main site is actually up.

    Other ideas to produce the same end result would also be welcomed!

    Cheers

    Matt

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    Sirkali Rural Tamilnadu
    Posts
    738
    Matt

    Set up a round robin DNS.

    It is vital that all your nameservers have the same DNS data - or else you will have unpleasant site viewing experiences.

    What you can do is,

    have ns1 on your main server and ns2 on your second server

    In your zone records

    put the first A record for your domain as IP.1.server and then next line
    put A record as IP.2nd.server

    This way the DNs will send requests to the first server and if it is down send users to the second server
    I am now happily selling Natural Herbal Hair Oil - happy to be so far removed from technology!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Midlands, UK
    Posts
    114
    Thanks MotleyFool

    But I'm not 100% clear on what I should put into my zone files.

    Can I have 2 A records for the same host?

    e.g:

    www A 111.111.111.111
    www A 222.222.222.222

    I'd put this in the zone file on each host, right?

    Cheers

    Matt

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    Sirkali Rural Tamilnadu
    Posts
    738
    yes identical zone records..

    the first IP will be routed first and if it fails the second will be routed to.

    Please let me know if it doesn't work




    Balaji
    I am now happily selling Natural Herbal Hair Oil - happy to be so far removed from technology!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Midlands, UK
    Posts
    114
    Thanks MotleyFool

    I'll try it when I get home tonight.

    I didn't know you could have more than one entry for a the same hostname in a zone file

    Matt

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Midlands, UK
    Posts
    114
    I've just been looking around the net for more information on MotleyFool's suggestion and people are saying that some visitors may be sent off to the "problem" page, even when the main site is up. So the hosts in the zone files wouldn't necessarily be read in order.

    I also just found out my "backup" host won't let me have more than one IP per hostname (since the DNS can only be controlled via a web interface). They might sort it though if it's a bug and not intentional.

    Can anyone confirm or deny the points above about the order hosts are read from the zone file?

    Again, other suggestions to the original query would be welcomed!

    Cheers

    Matt

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Alberta, Canada
    Posts
    348
    From my understanding its is more roundrobin, where the first visitors gets the top one, and then the next will most likely get the next, so yes, your visitors may end up at the 'problem' page while the site is functioning. Im gonna go track down my bind books, and just double check this. if i recall, there is an entire chapter devoted to this issue.
    AC Host Canada – Affordable Canadian Web Hosting Solutions
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  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Alberta, Canada
    Posts
    348
    just double checked, its example is as follows (from o'reilly dns and bind, 3rd edition)

    foo.bar.baz. 60 IN A 192.168.0.1
    foo.bar.baz. 60 IN A 192.168.0.2
    foo.bar.baz. 60 IN A 192.168.0.3

    the server will hand the first record out, then to the next visitor the second, and the next the third, and restart over, it isnt true load balancing, more of just load sharing. so that wont work for your situation

    there is an alternate version of bind somewhere i remember seeing that natively can handle load balancing, might be an idea to check into that.
    AC Host Canada – Affordable Canadian Web Hosting Solutions
    Shared Hosting | Email Hosting | DNS Hosting | Custom Plans Available
    Website: www.achost.ca email: info@achost.ca

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    Sirkali Rural Tamilnadu
    Posts
    738
    Thanks Jason..

    My bad then!
    I am now happily selling Natural Herbal Hair Oil - happy to be so far removed from technology!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    Ann Arbor, MI
    Posts
    2,979
    This has been asked a lot of times before.

    You might do a search in this forum for a lot of additional information.
    -Mark Adams
    www.bitserve.com - Secure Michigan web hosting for your business.
    Only host still offering a full money back uptime guarantee and prorated refunds.
    Offering advanced server management and security incident response!

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