Chapter 1. Configuring DNS integration


You can integrate DNS with Satellite to automate the creation and management of DNS records when provisioning, modifying, and decommissioning hosts. This helps to ensure a consistent and error-free network configuration.

1.1. DNS service providers

Capsule supports the following DNS providers that you can use to integrate Satellite with your existing DNS infrastructure or deploy a new one:

dns_nsupdate

Dynamic DNS updates on an RFC 2136-compatible DNS server by using the nsupdate utility. See:

dns_nsupdate_gss
Dynamic DNS updates on an RFC 2136-compatible DNS server by using the nsupdate utility with Generic Security Service algorithm for Transaction Signature (GSS-TSIG) authentication. See Section 1.6, “Integrating Identity Management DNS with GSS-TSIG authentication”.
dns_infoblox
Dynamic DNS updates on an Infoblox DNS server. See Section 1.7, “Integrating Infoblox DNS”.

1.2. Enabling the installer-managed DNS service

If you do not have a DNS server available in your network, you can use the installer-managed DNS service. This feature enables you to provide a DNS service with low maintenance overhead.

Procedure

  1. Configure Satellite or Capsule as DNS server:

    # satellite-installer \
    --foreman-proxy-dns true \
    --foreman-proxy-dns-provider nsupdate \
    --foreman-proxy-dns-managed true \
    --reset-foreman-proxy-dns-server
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
  2. For each affected Capsule, update the configuration of that Capsule in the Satellite web UI. For more information, see Section 1.8, “Associating the DNS service with a domain and subnet”.

1.3. Integrating a local self-managed DNS service

The installer exposes a limited feature set for the Satellite installer-managed DNS service. For example, you can configure only a single forward DNS zone. As an alternative, you can first use the installer-managed DNS and later convert it to a self-managed DNS server to bypass the limitations.

Prerequisites

  • You installed and configured a DNS service on the Satellite Server or Capsule Server host.
  • The DNS service supports RFC 2136-compatible updates

Procedure

  1. Set the local, self-managed DNS service on your Satellite Server or Capsule Server:

    # satellite-installer \
    --foreman-proxy-dns true \
    --foreman-proxy-dns-provider nsupdate \
    --foreman-proxy-dns-managed false \
    --foreman-proxy-dns-server "127.0.0.1"
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
  2. For each affected Capsule, update the configuration of that Capsule in the Satellite web UI. For more information, see Section 1.8, “Associating the DNS service with a domain and subnet”.

If you have a DNS service in your network and it supports RFC 2136-compatible dynamic updates, you can integrate this service into your Satellite Server. The integration enables you to continue using your existing DNS server, and Satellite manages DNS records for hosts during their life cycle.

With this type of integration, Satellite uses a transaction signature (TSIG) key to authenticate to the DNS server and the nsupdate utility to manage DNS records.

Prerequisites

  • The remote DNS service is configured and can be queried.
  • The remote DNS service supports RFC 2136-compatible dynamic updates
  • The Remote Name Daemon Control (RNDC) key file to connect to the remote DNS server is placed in /etc/foreman-proxy/rndc.key on your Satellite Server or Capsule Server.

Procedure

  1. Update the permissions on /etc/foreman-proxy/rndc.key to enable members of the foreman-proxy group to read this file:

    # chown -v root:foreman-proxy /etc/foreman-proxy/rndc.key
    # chmod -v 640 /etc/foreman-proxy/rndc.key
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
  2. Restore the SELinux context on /etc/foreman-proxy/rndc.key:

    # restorecon -v /etc/foreman-proxy/rndc.key
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
  3. Optional: Verify if you can use the key file to manually manage DNS entries:

    1. Create a test DNS entry. For example, host test.example.com with an A record of 192.168.25.20 on the DNS server at 192.168.25.1.

      # echo -e "server 192.168.25.1\n \
      update add test.example.com 3600 IN A 192.168.25.20\n \
      send\n" | nsupdate -k /etc/foreman-proxy/rndc.key
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    2. Verify that you can query the new DNS entry:

      # host test.example.com 192.168.25.1
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

      Example output:

      Using domain server:
      Name: 192.168.25.1
      Address: 192.168.25.1#53
      Aliases:
      
      test.example.com has address 192.168.25.20
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    3. If resolved successfully, remove the test DNS entry:

      # echo -e "server 192.168.25.1\n \
      update delete test.example.com 3600 IN A 192.168.25.20\n \
      send\n" | nsupdate -k /etc/foreman-proxy/rndc.key
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    4. Confirm that the DNS entry was removed:

      # host test.example.com 192.168.25.1
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

      If the command returns Host test.example.com not found: 3(NXDOMAIN), the record was successfully deleted.

  4. Configure Satellite Server or Capsule Server to use the DNS server:

    # satellite-installer \
    --foreman-proxy-dns true \
    --foreman-proxy-dns-provider nsupdate \
    --foreman-proxy-dns-managed false \
    --foreman-proxy-dns-server "dns_server_ip_address" \
    --foreman-proxy-keyfile /etc/foreman-proxy/rndc.key
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
  5. For the affected Capsule, update the configuration of that Capsule in the Satellite web UI. For more information, see Section 1.8, “Associating the DNS service with a domain and subnet”.

If you use Identity Management to centrally manage hosts in your domain, you can integrate the Identity Management DNS service into Satellite Server. The integration enables you to continue using your existing Identity Management DNS service, and Satellite manages DNS records for hosts during their life cycle.

If Satellite Server or Capsule Server is not a member of a Identity Management domain, use a transaction signature (TSIG) key to authenticate to the DNS server. This method provides a lower security and an increased key management effort compared to dynamic updates with generic security service transaction signature (GSS-TSIG) authentication. For more information, see Section 1.6, “Integrating Identity Management DNS with GSS-TSIG authentication”.

Prerequisites

  • The Identity Management server is deployed and functional.
  • The firewall on the Identity Management server allows access to the required ports. See Port requirements for Identity Management in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 Installing Identity Management guide.
  • You have root access on the Identity Management server.

Procedure

  1. Perform the following steps on the Identity Management Server:

    1. Insert the following settings at the top of the /etc/named.conf file:

      include "/etc/rndc.key";
      controls {
          inet Identity Management_server_ip_address port 953 allow { Satellite_ip_address; } keys { "rndc-key"; };
      };
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    2. Reload the named service:

      # systemctl reload named
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
  2. In the Identity Management web UI:

    1. Navigate to Network Services > DNS > DNS Zones
    2. Click the name of the zone.
    3. Open the Settings tab.
    4. Enter in the BIND update policy field:

      grant "rndc-key" zonesub ANY;
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    5. Set Dynamic update to True.
    6. Click Update to save the changes.
  3. Configure dynamic DNS updates in Satellite Server or Capsule Server. For more information, see Section 1.4, “Integrating a generic RFC 2136-compatible remote DNS server”.

If you use Identity Management to centrally manage hosts in your domain, you can integrate the Identity Management DNS service into Satellite Server. The integration enables you to continue using your existing Identity Management DNS service, and Satellite manages DNS records for hosts during their life cycle.

If Satellite Server or Capsule Server is a member of a Identity Management domain, use generic security service transaction signature (GSS-TSIG) authentication. This method provides an increased security and a low key management effort compared to TSIG authentication.

Before you can integrate an existing Identity Management DNS server, you must prepare the Identity Management environment. The preparation work enables Satellite Server to use generic security service transaction signature (GSS-TSIG) authentication to update DNS entries.

Prerequisites

  • The Identity Management domain is deployed and functional.
  • Identity Management is configured with its integrated DNS service.
  • The firewall on the Identity Management servers allow access to the required ports. For more information, see Port requirements for IdM in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 Installing Identity Management.

Procedure

  1. On a host that is a member of the Identity Management domain, obtain a Kerberos ticket for the admin user:

    # kinit admin
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
  2. Create a new Kerberos principal Satellite Server to be used for authentication on the Identity Management server:

    # ipa service-add capsule/satellite.example.com
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
  3. Optional: Add a forward DNS zone:

    # ipa dnszone-add example.com
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
  4. Display the BIND update policy of the forward zone:

    # ipa dnszone-show example.com --all | \
    grep "BIND update policy"
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

    Example output:

    BIND update policy: grant EXAMPLE.COM krb5-self * A; grant EXAMPLE.COM krb5-self * AAAA; grant EXAMPLE.COM krb5-self * SSHFP;
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

    Note the value of the setting.

  5. Update the forward zone settings:

    # ipa dnszone-mod example.com \
    --dynamic-update=TRUE \
    --allow-sync-ptr=TRUE \
    --update-policy="<existing_policy> grant smartproxy\047foreman.example.com@EXAMPLE.COM wildcard * ANY;"
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

    This command modifies the zone settings as follows:

    • Dynamic zone updates are enabled.
    • Identity Management updates the corresponding PTR record in the reverse DNS zone if an A or AAAA record is updated in the forward zone.
    • The Kerberos principal created in an earlier step is authorized to modify any type of any data record. Note that you must append this setting to the existing value.
  6. Optional: Add a reverse DNS zone:

    # ipa dnszone-add 0.168.192.in-addr.arpa
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
  7. Display the BIND update policy of the reverse zone:

    # ipa dnszone-show 0.168.192.in-addr.arpa --all | \
    grep "BIND update policy"
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

    Example output:

    BIND update policy: grant EXAMPLE.COM krb5-subdomain 0.168.192.in-addr.arpa. PTR;
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

    Note the value of the setting.

  8. Update the reverse zone settings:

    # ipa dnszone-mod 0.168.192.in-addr.arpa \
    --dynamic-update=TRUE \
    --update-policy="<existing_policy> grant smartproxy\047foreman.example.com@EXAMPLE.COM wildcard * ANY;"
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

    Note that you must append the update policy to the existing value.

After you have prepared the Identity Management DNS server as described in Section 1.6.1, “Configuring Identity Management to use with Satellite Server”, integrate the DNS server into your Satellite Server or Capsule Server.

Prerequisites

  • You set the DNS search domain of the host to the Identity Management DNS domain.
  • You know the Kerberos principal the host should use to authenticate to the Identity Management DNS server, for example, capsule/satellite.example.com.

Procedure

  1. If your Satellite Server or Capsule Server is not yet a member of the Identity Management domain:

    1. Install the ipa-client package:

      # satellite-maintain packages install ipa-client
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    2. Install the Identity Management client:

      # ipa-client-install
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

      Follow the on-screen prompts.

  2. Obtain a Kerberos ticket for the admin user:

    # kinit admin
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
  3. Remove the /etc/foreman-proxy/dns.keytab file:

    # rm --force /etc/foreman-proxy/dns.keytab
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
  4. Obtain a Kerberos keytab file for your Capsule and store it in the /etc/foreman-proxy/dns.keytab file:

    # ipa-getkeytab -p capsule/satellite.example.com@EXAMPLE.COM \
    -k /etc/foreman-proxy/dns.keytab
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    Important

    When adding a keytab to a standby system with the same host name as the original system in service, pass the -r option to the ipa-getkeytab command to prevent generating new credentials and rendering the credentials on the original system invalid.

  5. Set the owner and group of /etc/foreman-proxy/dns.keytab to foreman-proxy:

    # chown foreman-proxy:foreman-proxy /etc/foreman-proxy/dns.keytab
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
  6. Verify that the /etc/foreman-proxy/dns.keytab file is valid:

    1. Use the file to obtain a Kerberos ticket:

      # kinit -kt /etc/foreman-proxy/dns.keytab \
      capsule/satellite.example.com@EXAMPLE.COM
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    2. Display the Kerberos ticket:

      # klist
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

      Example output:

      Ticket cache: KCM:0:50473
      Default principal: smartproxy/satellite.example.com@EXAMPLE.COM
      
      Valid starting       Expires              Service principal
      05/20/2025 12:12:35  05/21/2025 11:54:31  krbtgt/EXAMPLE.COM@EXAMPLE.COM
      Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
  7. Configure Satellite Server or Capsule Server to connect to the Identity Management DNS service:

    # satellite-installer \
    --foreman-proxy-dns true \
    --foreman-proxy-dns-provider nsupdate_gss \
    --foreman-proxy-dns-managed false \
    --foreman-proxy-dns-server "idm-server.example.com" \
    --foreman-proxy-dns-tsig-keytab /etc/foreman-proxy/dns.keytab \
    --foreman-proxy-dns-tsig-principal "capsule/satellite.example.com@EXAMPLE.COM"
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
  8. For each affected Capsule, update the configuration of that Capsule in the Satellite web UI. For more information, see Section 1.8, “Associating the DNS service with a domain and subnet”.

1.7. Integrating Infoblox DNS

If you have an Infoblox appliance in your network, you can integrate this service into Satellite Server and Capsule Server by using the Infoblox Web API (WAPI) The integration enables you to continue using your existing DNS server, and Satellite manages DNS records for hosts during their life cycle.

Limitations

  • You can manage DNS entries only in a single view, and you cannot edit the view after you create it.
  • Satellite Server uses the standard HTTPS web API to communicate with Infoblox. By default, it communicates only with a single node. If you require high availability, configure this feature in Infoblox.
  • You cannot integrate the Satellite IP address management (IPAM) feature into Infoblox.

Prerequisites

  • You have an Infoblox account with the roles DHCP Admin and DNS Admin.
  • The Infoblox roles have permissions or belong to an admin group that permits the accounts to perform tasks through the Infoblox API.

Procedure

  1. Download the certificate from the Infoblox server, and store it in the /etc/pki/ca-trust/source/anchors/infoblox.crt file:

    # openssl s_client -showcerts -connect infoblox.example.com:443 </dev/null | \
    openssl x509 -text >/etc/pki/ca-trust/source/anchors/infoblox.crt
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

    The hostname must match the one for the Infoblox application in the X.509 certificate.

  2. Add the Infoblox certificate to the system truststore:

    # update-ca-trust extract
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
  3. Test the CA certificate by using it in a query to the Infoblox API:

    # curl -u admin:password https://infoblox.example.com/wapi/v2.0/network
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

    Example of a positive response:

    [
        {
            "_ref": "network/ZG5zLm5ldHdvcmskMTkyLjE2OC4yMDIuMC8yNC8w:infoblox.example.com/24/default",
            "network": "192.168.202.0/24",
            "network_view": "default"
        }
    ]
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
  4. Configure Satellite Server or Capsule Server to connect to the Infoblox DNS service:

    # satellite-installer \
    --foreman-proxy-dns true \
    --foreman-proxy-dns-provider infoblox \
    --enable-foreman-proxy-plugin-dns-infoblox \
    --foreman-proxy-plugin-dns-infoblox-dns-server infoblox.example.com \
    --foreman-proxy-plugin-dns-infoblox-username admin \
    --foreman-proxy-plugin-dns-infoblox-password password \
    --foreman-proxy-plugin-dns-infoblox-dns-view view_name
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

    Omit the --foreman-proxy-plugin-dns-infoblox-dns-view option if you use the default view in Infoblox DNS.

  5. For each affected Capsule, update the configuration of that Capsule in the Satellite web UI. For more information, see Section 1.8, “Associating the DNS service with a domain and subnet”.

After you configured or changed the DNS provider, you must update the configuration of each affected Capsule in the Satellite web UI.

Prerequisites

  • You configured a DNS provider.

Procedure

  1. Configure the domain:

    1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Infrastructure > Domains.
    2. Select the domain name.
    3. On the Domain tab, ensure DNS Capsule is set to the Capsule where the subnet is connected.
  2. Configure the subnet:

    1. Navigate to Infrastructure > Subnets.
    2. Select the subnet name.
    3. On the Domains tab, select the domains that are valid on the subnet.
    4. In the Capsules tab, ensure Reverse DNS Capsule is set to the Capsule where the subnet is connected.
    5. Click Submit.

1.9. Disabling DNS for integration

If you want to manually manage a DNS service and not integrate it into Satellite Server, you must prevent Satellite from maintaining this service on the operating system and disable orchestration to avoid errors.

Note

Disabling DNS in Satellite does not remove the related backend service on the operating system.

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Infrastructure > Subnets.
  2. For each subnet that is associated with the DNS Capsule:

    1. Select the subnet.
    2. On the Capsules tab, clear the Reverse DNS Capsule field.
    3. Click Submit.
  3. Navigate to Infrastructure > Domains.
  4. For each domain that is associated with the DNS Capsule:

    1. Select the domain.
    2. Clear the DNS Capsule field.
    3. Click Submit.
  5. On Satellite Server, enter:

    # satellite-installer --foreman-proxy-dns false
    Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
    Note

    Satellite does not perform orchestration when a Capsule is not set for a given subnet and domain. When you disable Capsule associations, orchestration commands for existing hosts can fail if the expected records and configuration files are not present.

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