# mimic a DNS root server?

## bigdweeb

In my lab I have our whole network mocked up.  We also have our BGP peers mocked up and an "internet" to connect between them so we can test/simulate routing issues.  I have also built an ESXi host to mimic the key services on our network including DNS, DHCP, etc. 

As a next step, I would like to put some VMs out on the "internet" in my lab for further testing.  I would like to be able to use DNS resolution for these simulated tests, but I am stuck on how to do that.  My thought was that I could create a DNS root server in my lab that would then delegate zones down to my network and the other networks that I will be creating.  My problem is I don't know how do create the root node.  Does anyone have insight on this or a place I can look for more information?

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## Suicidal

http://www.zytrax.com/books/dns/ch7/

You need to create a . Zone, I do this on my closed networks because signed software always tries to contact a ca that will never respond. I create a root zone then point * to 127.128.129.130

Any other zones I forward to thier perspective DNS servers.

This way the timeout is much shorter.

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## gentoo_ram

Make your name server the primary nameserver for a top level zone.  Like "test.".  Then point your VMs to this name server.  You can create whatever entries you want in there.  "host1.test."  "host2.test." etc.  Then the VMs never need to go out and look for other zones they don't have access to.

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