Environment
Novell DHCP
Novell DNS
Novell DNS Management Console
Novell NetWare 6.5
Novell Open Enterprise Server 2 (OES 2) Linux
Novell Open Enterprise Server (NetWare 6.5)
Situation
After migrating from NetWare to Open Enterprise Server (OES) Linux, Dynamic DNS (DDNS) fails to update forward (A) and reverse (PTR) records correctly--or at all. This is due to some of the default differences between Novell DNS/DHCP on NetWare and the open source implementation of DNS/DHCP on OES Linux.
Resolution
To resolve the issue, please follow the first two steps. After a period of time, if the first two steps alone do not resolve the issue alone, then follow step three. Whether or not step three is ever needed to resolve the issue or not, step one can be turned back on (or set to TRUE) after all of the dynamic records have been updated at least once via the DDNS process:
1. Disable the update-optimization flag in DHCP
- Using the DNS/DHCP management console (the one provided with OES Linux--found at https://ip.addr.of.srvr > Management Services > Under 'Available Services' download and install DNSDHCP Java Console). Other versions provided under NetWare will not have the necessary functionality to manage DHCP under OES Linux.
- Using a Novell Client, login to the tree
- Open the DNS/DHCP Management Console, and select the tree from the drop down list
- At the top of the Management Console, click on the 'DHCP (OES Linux)' tab
- Click on the DHCP server object at the bottom of the console
- Click on the 'Settings' tab toward the top, middle of the screen and press the 'Modify' button on the screen
- Scroll down near the bottom of the 'Available Service Settings' names and highlight 'update-optimization', press ADD, and make sure the setting is set to FALSE. Press OK
- Using iManager (https://ip.addr.of.srvr/nps/servlet/webacc)
- Login and select DHCP (OES Linux) from the menu while under the 'Roles and Tasks' button (default after login)
- Select 'Scope Settings' and complete the given task
- Select Server from the DHCP (OES Linux) sub menu, and 'View/Modify Server' from the 'Available Tasks' drop-down menu and press OK. Select the server from the drop-down menu and press OK
- By default, the 'Settings' tab should be active. Press ADD and select 'update-optimization' from the 'Setting Name' drop-down menu. Make sure the 'Setting Value' is set to FALSE. Press OK and APPLY
2. Add 'deny client-updates' to DHCP.
- NOTE: At the time of the writing of this Technical Information Document (TID), July 21, 2009, the 'deny client-updates' option has to be manually configured. Future releases will allow this setting to be set similar to the option outlined in step number one. This TID, at least for now, will only address on how to set up this option manually.
- Using ConsoleOne (any recent version should due)
- Select the DHCP server object, right click and select 'Properties.' Go to the 'Other' tab
- If the DHCP Server already has any settings, there will be a 'dhcpStatements' attribute. If there isn't this attribute, add it.
- Add the value 'deny client-updates' and save the changes
- Restart the DHCP and DNS services
3. Delete all of the dynamic DNS records, forward (A records) and reverse (PTR records), and allow the DDNS process to recreate them. DO NOT delete static DNS records.
Additional Information
Keywords to improve searchability: Dynamic DNS, DDNS, Open Enterprise Server, OES, NetWare, Migration, DHCP