---
title: "Configuring DNS Servers for DDNS"
canonical: "https://docs.infoblox.com/space/nios90/280272279/Configuring%20DNS%20Servers%20for%20DDNS"
format: markdown
---
<span style="color: #000000">For security reasons, an Infoblox DNS server does not accept DDNS updates by default. You must specify the sources from which you want to allow the DNS server to receive updates. You can configure the Infoblox DNS server to receive updates from specified DHCP clients, as described in </span><span style="color: #003366">Enabling DNS Servers to Accept DDNS Updates below</span><span style="color: #000000">, and to accept forwarded updates from another DNS server, as described in Forwarding Updates below.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000">For protection against spoofed IP addresses, you can use TSIG (transaction signatures) to authenticate and verify updates.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000">TSIG uses the MD5 (Message Digest 5) algorithm and a shared secret key to create an HMAC (hashed message authentication code) — sometimes called a </span><span style="color: #000000">*digital*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*fingerprint*</span><span style="color: #000000"> — of each update. Both the DHCP server sending the update and the DNS server receiving it must share the same secret key. Also, it is important that the time stamps on the TSIG-authenticated updates and update responses be synchronized, or the participants reject them. Therefore, use an NTP server to set the time on all systems involved in TSIG authentication operations.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000">The TSIG key that you use can come from several places:</span>

- <span style="color: #000000">You can use the key generation tool described in this section to create a new TSIG key to authenticate updates from the DHCP server.</span>
- <span style="color: #000000">You can enter (copy and paste) a TSIG key that you previously generated for another purpose, such as for zone transfers.</span>
- <span style="color: #000000">If the DHCP server is on a separate appliance and a TSIG key was previously generated on that appliance, you can enter (copy and paste) that TSIG key onto the local DNS server.</span>

<span style="color: #000000">The TSIG key name and value that the DHCP and DNS servers use must be the same.</span>

> ⚠️ ### Note
> ⚠️ 
> ⚠️ <span style="color: #000000">Whether you deploy NIOS appliances in a Grid or independently, they send updates to UDP port 53. Grid members do not send updates through a VPN tunnel. Grid members do, however, authenticate updates between them using TSIG (transaction signatures) based on an internal TSIG key.</span>

# Enabling DNS Servers to Accept DDNS Updates

<span style="color: #000000">You can configure the Infoblox DNS server to receive updates from specified DHCP clients only. You can set this for the Grid so that the Grid members receive DDNS updates only from the specified sources. Note that you specify the IP addresses of the sources of the updates and not the actual IP addresses in the DNS records being updated.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000">To configure the DNS server to accept updates from the specified sources complete the following steps:</span>

1. <span style="color: #000000">**Grid:**</span><span style="color: #000000"> From the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Data**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Management**</span><span style="color: #000000"> tab, select the </span><span style="color: #000000">**DNS**</span><span style="color: #000000"> tab, expand the Toolbar and click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Grid**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**DNS**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Properties**</span><span style="color: #000000">.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000">**Member**</span><span style="color: #000000">: From the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Data**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Management**</span><span style="color: #000000"> tab, select the </span><span style="color: #000000">**DNS**</span><span style="color: #000000"> tab and click the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Members**</span><span style="color: #000000"> tab -> </span><span style="color: #000000">*member*</span><span style="color: #000000"> checkbox -> Edit icon.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000">**Zones**</span><span style="color: #000000">: From the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Data**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Management**</span><span style="color: #000000"> tab, select the </span><span style="color: #000000">**DNS**</span><span style="color: #000000"> tab and click the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Zones**</span><span style="color: #000000"> tab-> </span><span style="color: #000000">*dns_view*</span><span style="color: #000000"> -> </span><span style="color: #000000">*zone*</span><span style="color: #000000"> checkbox -> Edit icon.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000">To override an inherited property, click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Override**</span><span style="color: #000000"> next to it and complete the appropriate fields.</span>
2. <span style="color: #000000">In the editor, click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Toggle**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Advanced**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Mode**</span><span style="color: #000000">, select the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Updates**</span><span style="color: #000000"> tab.</span>
  Ensure that you understand how the appliance handles match lists before you specify the list of IP sources for DDNS updates, as described in *[Using OpenStack cloud-init template to configure Grid Master and join Grid members](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/nios90/pages/280407076)*
3. <span style="color: #000000">In the </span><span style="color: #000000">*Allow updates from*</span><span style="color: #000000"> section, select one of the following:</span>
  - <span style="color: #000000">**None**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Select this to deny DDNS updates from any DHCP clients. This is selected by default.</span>
  - <span style="color: #000000">**Named ACL**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Select this and click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Select Named ACL**</span><span style="color: #000000"> to select a named ACL. Grid Manager displays the </span><span style="color: #000000">*Named ACLs*</span><span style="color: #000000"> Selector. Select the named ACL you want to use. If you have only one named ACL, Grid Manager automatically displays the named ACL. When you select this option, the appliance receives DDNS updates from the sources that have the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Allow**</span><span style="color: #000000"> permission in the named ACL. You can click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Clear**</span><span style="color: #000000"> to remove the selected named ACL.</span>
  - <span style="color: #000000">**Set of ACEs**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Select this to configure individual ACEs. Click the Add icon and select one of the following from the drop-down list. Depending on the item you select, Grid Manager either adds a row for the selected item or expands the panel so you can specify additional information about the item you are adding, as follows:</span>
    - <span style="color: #000000">**IPv4 Address**</span><span style="color: #000000"> and </span><span style="color: #000000">**IPv6 Address**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Select this to add an IPv4 address or IPv6 address. Click the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Value**</span><span style="color: #000000"> field and enter the IP address. The </span><span style="color: #000000">**Permission**</span><span style="color: #000000"> column displays </span><span style="color: #000000">**Allow**</span><span style="color: #000000"> by default. You can change it to </span><span style="color: #000000">**Deny**</span><span style="color: #000000"> by clicking the field and selecting </span><span style="color: #000000">**Deny**</span><span style="color: #000000"> from the drop-down list.</span>
    - <span style="color: #000000">**IPv4 Network**</span><span style="color: #000000">: In the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Add IPv4 Network**</span><span style="color: #000000"> panel, complete the following, and then click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Add**</span><span style="color: #000000"> to add the network to the list:</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">**Address**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Enter an IPv4 network address and either type a netmask or move the slider to the desired netmask.</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">**Permission**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Select </span><span style="color: #000000">**Allow**</span><span style="color: #000000"> or </span><span style="color: #000000">**Deny**</span><span style="color: #000000"> from the drop-down list.</span>
    - <span style="color: #000000">**IPv6 Network**</span><span style="color: #000000">: In the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Add IPv6 Network**</span><span style="color: #000000"> panel, complete the following, and then click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Add**</span><span style="color: #000000"> to add the network to the list:</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">**Address**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Enter an IPv6 network address and select the netmask from the drop-down list.</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">**Permission**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Select </span><span style="color: #000000">**Allow**</span><span style="color: #000000"> or </span><span style="color: #000000">**Deny**</span><span style="color: #000000"> from the drop-down list.</span>
    - <span style="color: #000000">**TSIG Key**</span><span style="color: #000000">: In the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Add TSIG Key**</span><span style="color: #000000"> panel, complete the following, and then click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Add**</span><span style="color: #000000"> to add the TSIG key to the list:</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">**Key name**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Enter a meaningful name for the key, such as a zone name or the name of a remote name server. This name must match the name of the same TSIG key on other name servers.</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">**Key Algorithm**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Select either </span><span style="color: #000000">**HMAC-MD5**</span><span style="color: #000000"> or </span><span style="color: #000000">**HMAC-SHA256.**</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">**Key**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Data**</span><span style="color: #000000">: To use an existing TSIG key, type or paste the key in the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Key**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Data**</span><span style="color: #000000"> field. Alternatively, you can select the key algorithm, select the key length from the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Generate**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Key**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Data**</span><span style="color: #000000"> drop-down list, and then click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Generate**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Key**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Data**</span><span style="color: #000000"> to create a new key.</span>
        You must enable GSS-TSIG signed updates to receive DDNS updates from TSIG key based ACEs. For information about how to enable this, see *[Accepting GSS-TSIG Updates](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/nios90/pages/1333363546)*.
    - <span style="color: #000000">**Any Address/Network:**</span><span style="color: #000000"> Select this to receive DDNS updates from any IP addresses.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000">After you have added access control entries, you can do the following:</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">Select the ACEs that you want to consolidate and put into a new named ACL. Click the Create new named ACL icon and enter a name in the </span><span style="color: #000000">*Convert*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*to*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*Named*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*ACL*</span><span style="color: #000000"> dialog box. The appliance creates a new named ACL and adds it to the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Named**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**ACL**</span><span style="color: #000000"> panel. Note that the ACEs you configure for this operation stay intact.</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">Reorder the list of ACEs using the up and down arrows next to the table.</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">Select an ACE and click the Edit icon to modify the entry.</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">Select an ACE and click the Delete icon to delete the entry. You can select multiple ACEs for deletion.</span>
  - <span style="color: #000000">**Allow**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**GSS-TSIG**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**signed**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**updates**</span><span style="color: #000000">: This checkbox is selected only if you have enabled GSS-TSIG signed updates.</span>
4. <span style="color: #000000">Optionally, you can:</span>
  - <span style="color: #000000">Modify an item on the list by selecting it and clicking the Edit icon.</span>
  - <span style="color: #000000">Remove an item from the list by selecting it and clicking the Delete icon.</span>
  - <span style="color: #000000">Move an item up or down the list. Select it and drag it to its new position, or click the up or down arrow. The appliance applies permissions to items in the order they are listed.</span>
5. <span style="color: #000000">Save the configuration.</span>

# <span style="color: #000000">Forwarding Updates</span>

<span style="color: #000000">When a secondary DNS server receives DDNS updates, it must forward the updates to the primary server because it cannot update zone data itself. In such situations, you must enable the secondary server to receive updates from the DHCP server, and then forward them to the primary DNS server.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000">To configure the secondary server to accept and forward updates for all zones:</span>

1. <span style="color: #000000">**Grid:**</span><span style="color: #000000"> From the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Data**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Management**</span><span style="color: #000000"> tab, select the </span><span style="color: #000000">**DNS**</span><span style="color: #000000"> tab, expand the Toolbar and click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Grid**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**DNS**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Properties**</span><span style="color: #000000">.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000">**Member**</span><span style="color: #000000">: From the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Data**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Management**</span><span style="color: #000000"> tab, select the </span><span style="color: #000000">**DNS**</span><span style="color: #000000"> tab and click the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Members**</span><span style="color: #000000"> tab -> </span><span style="color: #000000">*member*</span><span style="color: #000000"> checkbox -> Edit icon.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000">**Zones**</span><span style="color: #000000">: From the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Data**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Management**</span><span style="color: #000000"> tab, select the </span><span style="color: #000000">**DNS**</span><span style="color: #000000"> tab and click the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Zones**</span><span style="color: #000000"> tab-> </span><span style="color: #000000">*dns_view*</span><span style="color: #000000"> -> </span><span style="color: #000000">*zone*</span><span style="color: #000000"> checkbox -> Edit icon.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000">To override an inherited property, click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Override**</span><span style="color: #000000"> next to it and complete the appropriate fields.</span>
2. <span style="color: #000000">In the editor, click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Toggle**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Advanced**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Mode**</span><span style="color: #000000">.</span>
3. <span style="color: #000000">When the additional tabs appear, click the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Advanced**</span><span style="color: #000000"> subtab of the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Updates**</span><span style="color: #000000"> tab, and then complete the following:</span>
  - <span style="color: #000000">**Allow**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**secondary**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**name**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**servers**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**to**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**forward**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**updates**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Select this checkbox.</span>
  - <span style="color: #000000">**Forward**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**updates**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**from**</span><span style="color: #000000">: This is available only for authoritative zones. Click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Add**</span><span style="color: #000000">. Depending on the item that you select, Grid Manager either adds a row for the selected item or expands the panel so you can specify additional information about the item you are adding, as follows:</span>
  - <span style="color: #000000">**None**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Select this to deny DDNS updates from any clients. This is selected by default.</span>
  - <span style="color: #000000">**Named**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**ACL:**</span><span style="color: #000000"> Select this and click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Select**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Named**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**ACL**</span><span style="color: #000000"> to select a named ACL. Grid Manager displays the </span><span style="color: #000000">*Named*</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">*ACLs*</span><span style="color: #000000"> Selector. Select the named ACL you want to use. If you have only one named ACL, Grid Manager automatically displays the named ACL. When you select this option, the appliance receives DDNS updates from the sources that have the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Allow**</span><span style="color: #000000"> permission in the named ACL. You can click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Clear**</span><span style="color: #000000"> to remove the selected named ACL.</span>
  - <span style="color: #000000">**Set**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**of**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**ACEs**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Select this to configure individual ACEs. Click the Add icon and select one of the following from the drop-down list. Depending on the item you select, Grid Manager either adds a row for the selected item or expands the panel so you can specify additional information about the item you are adding, as follows.</span>
    - <span style="color: #000000">**IPv4**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Address**</span><span style="color: #000000"> and </span><span style="color: #000000">**IPv6**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Address**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Select this to add an IPv4 address or IPv6 address. Click the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Value**</span><span style="color: #000000"> field and enter the IP address. The </span><span style="color: #000000">**Permission**</span><span style="color: #000000"> column displays </span><span style="color: #000000">**Allow**</span><span style="color: #000000"> by default. You can change it to </span><span style="color: #000000">**Deny**</span><span style="color: #000000"> by clicking the field and selecting </span><span style="color: #000000">**Deny**</span><span style="color: #000000"> from the drop-down list.</span>
    - <span style="color: #000000">**IPv4**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Network**</span><span style="color: #000000">: In the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Add**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**IPv4**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Network**</span><span style="color: #000000"> panel, complete the following, and then click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Add**</span><span style="color: #000000"> to add the network to the list:</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">**Address**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Enter an IPv4 network address and either type a netmask or move the slider to the desired netmask.</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">**Permission**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Select </span><span style="color: #000000">**Allow**</span><span style="color: #000000"> or </span><span style="color: #000000">**Deny**</span><span style="color: #000000"> from the drop-down list.</span>
    - <span style="color: #000000">**IPv6**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Network**</span><span style="color: #000000">: In the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Add**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**IPv6**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Network**</span><span style="color: #000000"> panel, complete the following, and then click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Add**</span><span style="color: #000000"> to add the network to the list:</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">**Address**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Enter an IPv6 network address and select the netmask from the drop-down list.</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">**Permission**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Select </span><span style="color: #000000">**Allow**</span><span style="color: #000000"> or </span><span style="color: #000000">**Deny**</span><span style="color: #000000"> from the drop-down list.</span>
    - <span style="color: #000000">**TSIG**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Key**</span><span style="color: #000000">: In the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Add**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**TSIG**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Key**</span><span style="color: #000000"> panel, complete the following, and then click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Add**</span><span style="color: #000000"> to add the TSIG key to the list:</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">**Key**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**name**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Enter a meaningful name for the key, such as a zone name or the name of a remote name server. This name must match the name of the same TSIG key on other name servers.</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">**Key**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Algorithm**</span><span style="color: #000000">: Select either </span><span style="color: #000000">**HMAC-MD5**</span><span style="color: #000000"> or </span><span style="color: #000000">**HMAC-SHA256**</span><span style="color: #000000">.</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">**Key**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Data**</span><span style="color: #000000">: To use an existing TSIG key, type or paste the key in the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Key**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Data**</span><span style="color: #000000"> field. Alternatively, you can select the key algorithm, select the key length from the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Generate**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Key**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Data**</span><span style="color: #000000"> drop-down list, and then click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Generate**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Key**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Data**</span><span style="color: #000000"> to create a new key.</span>
        You must enable GSS-TSIG signed updates to receive DDNS updates from TSIG key based ACEs. For information about how to enable this, see *[Accepting GSS-TSIG Updates](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/nios90/pages/280407076)*.
    - <span style="color: #000000">**Any**</span><span style="color: #000000"> </span><span style="color: #000000">**Address/Network:**</span><span style="color: #000000"> Select to allow or disallow the appliance to receive DDNS updates from any IP address.</span>  
<span style="color: #000000">After you have added access control entries, you can do the following:</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">Select the ACEs that you want to consolidate and put into a new named ACL. Click the Create new named ACL icon and enter a name in the </span><span style="color: #000000">*Convert to NamedACL*</span><span style="color: #000000"> dialog box. The appliance creates a new named ACL and adds it to the </span><span style="color: #000000">**Named ACL**</span><span style="color: #000000"> panel. Note that the ACEs you configure for this operation stay intact.</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">Reorder the list of ACEs using the up and down arrows next to the table.</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">Select an ACE and click the Edit icon to modify the entry.</span>
      - <span style="color: #000000">Select an ACE and click the Delete icon to delete the entry. You can select multiple ACEs for deletion.</span>
4. <span style="color: #000000">Save the configuration and click </span><span style="color: #000000">**Restart**</span><span style="color: #000000"> if it appears at the top of the screen.</span>