domain mycompany.com
	search mycompany.com mynet.net
	nameserver 127.0.0.1
	nameserver 10.1.0.100

Commands:

• search - Specifies domain names used to expand a host name prior to sending the DNS query to the nameserver. The search list may contain up to 6 domain names, each separated by whitespace. The "mynet.net" shown above is only used for an example and is not normally included.
• nameserver - Up to three nameserver commands may be used. Each nameserver command specifies an IP address of a nameserver that can be used to answer name queries.
• domain - The name of the local domain which is used to expand the host name before sending the query to the name server. If no domain is specified, the value in the search command is used.

// generated by named-bootconf.pl

options {
	directory "/var/named";
	/*
	 * If there is a firewall between you and nameservers you want
	 * to talk to, you might need to uncomment the query-source
	 * directive below.  Previous versions of BIND always asked
	 * questions using port 53, but BIND 8.1 uses an unprivileged
	 * port by default.
	 */
	// query-source address * port 53;
};

zone "." {
	type hint;
	file "named.ca";
};

zone "0.0.127.in-addr.arpa" {
	type master;
	file "named.local";
};

zone "1.10.in-addr.arpa" {
	type master;
	file "db.10.1.hosts";
	allow transfer { 127.0.0.1; };
};

zone "mycompany.com" {
	type master;
	file "db.mycompany.com.hosts";
	notify yes;
	allow transfer { 127.0.0.1; };
};

Commands:

• acl - A named IP address control list for access control
• include - Allows an additional file to be included in this configuration file.
• key - Security key for authentification and authorization.
• logging - Determines where DNS logging is stored and what events are logged.
• options
  • directory - Defines the directory all files are to be found in.
  • forwarders - Forward first and forward only are the two choices. Forward first is the default which causes the server to forward queries not in its own cache to specific servers (forwarders) before querying any external server. Forward only means the query is only sent to the forwarders.
• server - Gives characteristics of a remote server.
  • bogus - yes or no (default). Mark it bogus if it is sending bad data.
  • support-ixfr
  • transfers - Not yet used but will limit number of concurrent in bound zone transfers.
  • transfer-format - one-answer or many-answers. Many answers works for bind 8.1 and above and is more efficient.
  • keys - Used to identify a key defined by the key statement
• zone - Parts of the network (zones) which are to be serviced by the nameserver.
  • allow-transfer - Specifies The hosts allowed to receive zone transfers from the server. Any transfer specification in the zone statement will override the allow-transfer statement.
  • allow-update - Specifies hosts that are allowed to send DNS updates to the server. No updates are allowed from any hosts as a default.
  • also notify - Allows nameservers not in the zone's database record to receive a DNS NOTIFY message when zone information is updated.
  • dialup - yes or no
  • type - Defines the type of nameserver for this zone. Choices:
    • master
    • slave
    • hint - Specifies the initial set of nameservers for the root zone.
    • forward - Directs all queries to other servers
    • stub - Replicates only the NS records of a master zone instead of the entire zone but otherwise is like a slave.
  • file - Defines the file name that will provide information for this zone.
  • masters - Defines the master server for the zone if this server for this zone is a slave. Syntax: "masters {192.168.1.6; };"
  • notify - Options are "notify no" or "notify yes" which determines if slave servers will be notified immediately when the zone information is updated. Notify yes is the default.

There are many more options associated with this file. For more information, read the BIND configuration file guide for BIND version 8 or higher. The option "allow transfer", above, limits DNS zone transfers to the loopback address. If there were a slave nameserver, its IP address should be here. With the allow transfer option set, other machines cannot get DNS information. This limits the effectiveness of IP spoofers and spammers.
 

A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.      3600000      A     10.1.0.100

but this is not correct. Some versions of the name server will generate error messages to var/log/messages if this is done.
I use:

;       This file holds the information on root name servers needed to
;       initialize cache of Internet domain name servers
;       (e.g. reference this file in the "cache  .  <file>"
;       configuration file of BIND domain name servers).
;
;       This file is made available by InterNIC registration services
;       under anonymous FTP as
;           file                /domain/named.root
;           on server           FTP.RS.INTERNIC.NET
;       -OR- under Gopher at    RS.INTERNIC.NET
;           under menu          InterNIC Registration Services (NSI)
;              submenu          InterNIC Registration Archives
;           file                named.root
;
;       last update:    Aug 22, 1997
;       related version of root zone:   1997082200
;
;
; formerly NS.INTERNIC.NET
;
.                        3600000  IN  NS    A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.      3600000      A     201.12.27.33
;
; formerly NS1.ISI.EDU
;
.                        3600000      NS    B.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
B.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.      3600000      A     128.9.0.107
;
; formerly C.PSI.NET
;
.                        3600000      NS    C.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
C.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.      3600000      A     192.33.4.12
;
; formerly TERP.UMD.EDU
;
.                        3600000      NS    D.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
D.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.      3600000      A     128.8.10.90
;
; formerly NS.NASA.GOV
;
.                        3600000      NS    E.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
E.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.      3600000      A     192.203.230.10
;
; formerly NS.ISC.ORG
;
.                        3600000      NS    F.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
F.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.      3600000      A     192.5.5.241
;
; formerly NS.NIC.DDN.MIL
;
.                        3600000      NS    G.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
G.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.      3600000      A     192.112.36.4
;
; formerly AOS.ARL.ARMY.MIL
;
.                        3600000      NS    H.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
H.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.      3600000      A     128.63.2.53
;
; formerly NIC.NORDU.NET
;
.                        3600000      NS    I.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
I.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.      3600000      A     192.36.148.17
;
; temporarily housed at NSI (InterNIC)
;
.                        3600000      NS    J.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
J.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.      3600000      A     198.41.0.10
;
; housed in LINX, operated by RIPE NCC
;
.                        3600000      NS    K.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
K.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.      3600000      A     193.0.14.129 
;
; temporarily housed at ISI (IANA)
;
.                        3600000      NS    L.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
L.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.      3600000      A     198.32.64.12
;
; housed in Japan, operated by WIDE
;
;.                        3600000      NS    M.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
;M.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.      3600000      A     202.12.27.33
; End of File

The official root nameserver file is at ftp:.rs.internic.net and is called /domain/named.root.
 

@       IN      SOA     localhost.		root.localhost. (
                  1999112701            ; Serial number as date and two digit number YYMMDDXX
                  28800                 ; Refresh in seconds 28800=8H
                  7200                  ; Retry in seconds 7200=2H
                  3600000               ; Expire 3600000=1 week
                  86400)                ; Minimum TTL 86400=24Hours
@       IN      NS      localhost.
1       IN      PTR     localhost.

1.10.in-addr.arpa.	IN	SOA	mymachine.mycompany.com.\
	root.mymachine.mycompany.com. (
		1999112701
		10800
		3600
		604800
		86400 )		;Default TTL
1.10.in-addr.arpa.	 IN	NS	mymachine.mycompany.com.
100.0.1.10.in-addr.arpa. IN	PTR	mymachine.mycompany.com.
4.0.1.10.in-addr.arpa.	IN		PTR	mailmachine.mycompany.com.
16.3.1.10.in-addr.arpa.  IN	PTR	george.mycompany.com.

In the SOA section are five parameters as follows:

1. Serial number (1999112701) - If less than master's SN, the slave gets a new copy of this file from the master.
2. Refresh (10800) - The time in seconds between when the slave compares this file's SN with the master.
3. Retry (3600) - The time the server should wait before asking again if the master fails to respond to a file update (SOA request).
4. Expire (604800)- Time in seconds the slave server can respond even though it cannot get an updated zone file.
5. TTL (86400) - The time to live (TTL) in seconds that a resolver will use data received from a nameserver before it will ask for the same data again.

mycompany.com.		IN	SOA	mymachine.mycompany.com.	root.mymachine.mycompany.com. (
		1999112701
		10800
		3600
		604800
		86400 )		
mycompany.com.		IN	NS	mymachine.mycompany.com.
mycompany.com.		IN	MX		10		mailmachine.mycompany.com.
mymachine.mycompany.com.	IN	A	10.1.0.100
mailmachine.mycompany.com.	IN	A	10.1.0.4
george.mycompany.com.	IN	A	10.1.3.16

Database Record Description:

• A - Ties a host name with an IP address.
• CNAME - Stands for canonical name which is an alias for a host.
• MX - Mail exchanger. The lower associated number for each given mail server indicates a higher preference to use that server.
• NS - Indicates a name server.
• PTR - Gives the hostname for an IP address.
• SOA - Start of authority shows where the zone's data starts.

Other notes:
To get it running:
 

Type "ps ax |more to see all processes running and look to see if it is one of them.
If it is look and see if it is listed in /etc/services. If not add the following lines to the file.
 

	nameserver	42/tcp	name
	domain		53/tcp	nameserver
	domain		53/udp	nameserver

Type "ndc start" or "ndc restart".
 

Other pertinent files:

/etc/nsswitch.conf - Several system administration database source files are defined here This is in support of the Network Information System (NIS) which can be used to control many administrative functions on many systems from one location.