The Recursor is used by several of the largest Internet providers of the world, including AOL, Shaw Cable and Neuf Cegetel.

1. Install the pdns-recursor package

apt-get install pdns-recursor


2. Configure the server to listen to all interfaces and allow queries from the local network (pico /etc/powerdns/recursor.conf)

allow-from=192.168.1.0/24
local-address=0.0.0.0


Replace 192.168.1.0/24 with your local network or the network allowed to query the resolving NS server.

3. Restart the DNS server

/etc/init.d/pdns-recursor restart


This tutorial has been tested and is working on Debian etch and lenny

1. Install the PowerDNS server and MySql backend using apt

apt-get install pdns-server pdns-backend-mysql


2. Create a new database (or use existing) and execute the following SQL queries to create the PowerDNS table structure:

create table domains (
id INT auto_increment,
name VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
master VARCHAR(128) DEFAULT NULL,
last_check INT DEFAULT NULL,
type VARCHAR(6) NOT NULL,
notified_serial INT DEFAULT NULL,
account VARCHAR(40) DEFAULT NULL,
primary key (id)
)type=InnoDB;
 
CREATE UNIQUE INDEX name_index ON domains(name);
 
CREATE TABLE records (
id INT auto_increment,
domain_id INT DEFAULT NULL,
name VARCHAR(255) DEFAULT NULL,
type VARCHAR(6) DEFAULT NULL,
content VARCHAR(255) DEFAULT NULL,
ttl INT DEFAULT NULL,
prio INT DEFAULT NULL,
change_date INT DEFAULT NULL,
primary key(id)
)type=InnoDB;
 
CREATE INDEX rec_name_index ON records(name);
CREATE INDEX nametype_index ON records(name,type);
CREATE INDEX domain_id ON records(domain_id);
 
create table supermasters (
ip VARCHAR(25) NOT NULL,
nameserver VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
account VARCHAR(40) DEFAULT NULL
);


3. Configure PowerDNS to use the MySql backend by adding this line into the configuration file (pico /etc/powerdns/pdns.conf)

launch=gmysql


4. Configure MySql login information for the PowerDNS server that can read from the tables you created earlier by adding lines similar to these (pico /etc/powerdns/pdns.d/pdns.local)

gmysql-host=127.0.0.1
gmysql-user=pdns
gmysql-password=password
gmysql-dbname=pdns


Replace the username, password and dbname with a valid login information and database name.

5. Restart PowerDNS

/etc/init.d/pdns restart


Now you should have a fully functional PowerDNS server installed. To manage the database (adding zones and records), consider using the Poweradmin web-based administration tool.

apt-get install libsnmp-session-perl mrtg


Add this to a config file, for example /etc/mrtg.cfg (pico /etc/mrtg.cfg)

Interval: 5
WorkDir: /var/www/mrtg
WriteExpires: yes
Options[_]: growright,nopercent
XSize[_]: 600
 
Target[udp-queries]: `/etc/init.d/pdns mrtg udp-queries udp-answers`
Options[udp-queries]: growright,nopercent,perminute
MaxBytes[udp-queries]: 600000
AbsMax[udp-queries]: 600000
Title[udp-queries]: Queries per minute
PageTop[udp-queries]: <h1>Queries per minute</h1>
WithPeak[udp-queries]: ymwd
YLegend[udp-queries]: queries/minute
ShortLegend[udp-queries]: q/m
LegendI[udp-queries]: udp-questions
LegendO[udp-queries]: udp-answers
 
Target[perc-failed]: `/etc/init.d/pdns mrtg udp-queries udp-answers`
Options[perc-failed]: growright,dorelpercent,perminute
MaxBytes[perc-failed]: 600000
AbsMax[perc-failed]: 600000
Title[perc-failed]: Queries per minute, with percentage success
PageTop[perc-failed]: <h1>Queries per minute, with percentage success</h1>
WithPeak[perc-failed]: ymwd
YLegend[perc-failed]: queries/minute
ShortLegend[perc-failed]: q/m
LegendI[perc-failed]: udp-questions
LegendO[perc-failed]: udp-answers
 
Target[packetcache-rate]: `/etc/init.d/pdns mrtg packetcache-hit udp-queries`
Options[packetcache-rate]: growright,dorelpercent,perminute
Title[packetcache-rate]: packetcache hitrate
MaxBytes[packetcache-rate]: 600000
AbsMax[packetcache-rate]: 600000
PageTop[packetcache-rate]: <h1>packetcache hitrate</h1>
WithPeak[packetcache-rate]: ymwd
YLegend[packetcache-rate]: queries/minute
ShortLegend[packetcache-rate]: q/m
LegendO[packetcache-rate]: total
LegendI[packetcache-rate]: hit
 
Target[packetcache-missrate]: `/etc/init.d/pdns mrtg packetcache-miss udp-queries`
Options[packetcache-missrate]: growright,dorelpercent,perminute
Title[packetcache-missrate]: packetcache MISSrate
MaxBytes[packetcache-missrate]: 600000
AbsMax[packetcache-missrate]: 600000
PageTop[packetcache-missrate]: <h1>packetcache MISSrate</h1>
WithPeak[packetcache-missrate]: ymwd
YLegend[packetcache-missrate]: queries/minute
ShortLegend[packetcache-missrate]: q/m
LegendO[packetcache-missrate]: total
LegendI[packetcache-missrate]: MISS
 
Target[latency]: `/etc/init.d/pdns mrtg latency`
Options[latency]: growright,nopercent,gauge
MaxBytes[latency]: 600000
AbsMax[latency]: 600000
Title[latency]: Query/answer latency
PageTop[latency]: <h1>Query/answer latency</h1>
WithPeak[latency]: ymwd
YLegend[latency]: usec
ShortLegend[latency]: usec
LegendO[latency]: latency
LegendI[latency]: latency
 
Target[recursing]: `/etc/init.d/pdns mrtg recursing-questions recursing-answers`
Options[recursing]: growright,nopercent,gauge
MaxBytes[recursing]: 600000
AbsMax[recursing]: 600000
Title[recursing]: Recursive questions/answers
PageTop[recursing]: <h1>Recursing questions/answers</h1>
WithPeak[recursing]: ymwd
YLegend[recursing]: queries/minute
ShortLegend[recursing]: q/m
LegendO[recursing]: recursing-questions
LegendI[recursing]: recursing-answers


Make mrtg create a new report every 5 minutes by adding the following line in crontab (type crontab -e):

0,5,10,15,20,25,30,35,40,45,50,55 * * * * env LANG=C /usr/bin/mrtg /etc/mrtg.cfg


Create a summary page showing all graphs:

indexmaker /etc/mrtg.cfg > /var/www/mrtg/index.html


If using the default mrtg/apache configuration you can access the graphs here: http://yourserver/mrtg