Subject: [YANG] YANG models for nameserver control

From: John Dickinson <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:14:08 -0400

Hi,

We are investigating the idea of controlling DNS servers via a common  
protocol. Our approach has three basic ideas:
a) To use netconf as a basis for the protocol, so simplifying the  
protocol definition.
b) Recognising that nameservers have different (overlapping)  
functionality and, rather than define one encompassing protocol,  
define the protocol as a set of "feature groups". Name servers only  
implement those feature groups that they need. (This obviously maps to  
netconf capabilites.)
c) To try to avoid the need for extensive modifications to existing  
nameserver implementations, so increasing the likelihood of uptake.

The approach we are taking is to convert the nameserver configuration  
file to XML, using the incoming netconf message as the basis of an XML  
transform on the configuration data, and converting the modified XML  
back to configuration file format. By defining a common model for  
nameserver configuration data and using different transforms, we can  
get the same netconf message to control different nameserver  
implementations.

We have used YANG for our modelling. Attached is a model for NSD and  
BIND nameservers and a model for a generic nameserver management  
interface. These are very early models that we are just playing with.  
They are a long way from being complete or correct. But we do hope  
they are a useful starting point. We have found YANG to be extremely  
useful for this kind of modeling. It is easy to get up to speed with  
and feels very close to the actual text based configuration formats  
used by nameservers.

Thanks
John

---
John Dickinson

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