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<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /><title>Appendix B. PDNS internals</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="docbook.css" type="text/css" /><meta name="generator" content="DocBook XSL Stylesheets V1.75.2" /><link rel="home" href="index.html" title="PowerDNS manual" /><link rel="up" href="index.html" title="PowerDNS manual" /><link rel="prev" href="remotebackend.html" title="15. Remote Backend" /><link rel="next" href="guardian.html" title="2. Guardian" /></head><body><div class="navheader"><table width="100%" summary="Navigation header"><tr><th colspan="3" align="center">Appendix B. PDNS internals</th></tr><tr><td width="20%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="remotebackend.html">Prev</a> </td><th width="60%" align="center"> </th><td width="20%" align="right"> <a accesskey="n" href="guardian.html">Next</a></td></tr></table><hr /></div><div class="appendix" title="Appendix B. PDNS internals"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title"><a id="pdns-internals"></a>Appendix B. PDNS internals</h2></div></div></div><div class="toc"><p><b>Table of Contents</b></p><dl><dt><span class="sect1"><a href="pdns-internals.html#controlsocket">1. Controlsocket</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="sect2"><a href="pdns-internals.html#pdnscontrol">1.1. pdns_control</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="sect1"><a href="guardian.html">2. Guardian</a></span></dt><dt><span class="sect1"><a href="modules.html">3. Modules & Backends</a></span></dt><dt><span class="sect1"><a href="dns-to-query.html">4. How PDNS translates DNS queries into backend queries</a></span></dt><dt><span class="sect1"><a href="adding-rr-types.html">5. Adding new DNS record types</a></span></dt></dl></div><p>
PDNS is normally launched by the init.d script but is actually a binary called <code class="filename">pdns_server</code>. This
file is started by the <span class="command"><strong>start</strong></span> and <span class="command"><strong>monitor</strong></span> commands to the init.d script. Other commands
are implemented using the controlsocket.
</p><div class="sect1" title="1. Controlsocket"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a id="controlsocket"></a>1. Controlsocket</h2></div></div></div><div class="toc"><dl><dt><span class="sect2"><a href="pdns-internals.html#pdnscontrol">1.1. pdns_control</a></span></dt></dl></div><p>
The controlsocket is the means to contact a running PDNS daemon, or as we now know, a running <code class="filename">pdns_server</code>.
Over this sockets, instructions can be sent using the <code class="filename">pdns_control</code> program. Like the <code class="filename">pdns_server</code>,
this program is normally accessed via the init.d script.
</p><div class="sect2" title="1.1. pdns_control"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a id="pdnscontrol"></a>1.1. pdns_control</h3></div></div></div><p>
To communicate with PDNS over the controlsocket, the <span class="command"><strong>pdns_control</strong></span> command is used. The init.d script also calls
pdns_control. The syntax is simple: <span class="command"><strong>pdns_control command arguments</strong></span>. Currently this is most useful for telling backends
to rediscover domains or to force the transmission of notifications. See <a class="xref" href="master.html" title="3. Master operation">Section 3, “Master operation”</a>.
</p><p>
Besides the commands implemented by the init.d script, for which see <a class="xref" href="pdns-on-unix.html" title="3. Running PDNS on unix">Section 3, “Running PDNS on unix”</a>, the following pdns_control commands
are available:
</p><div class="variablelist"><dl><dt><span class="term">ccounts</span></dt><dd><p>
Returns counts on the contents of the cache.
</p></dd><dt><span class="term">cycle</span></dt><dd><p>
Restart a PowerDNS instance. Only available when running in guardian mode.
</p></dd><dt><span class="term">notify <strong class="userinput"><code>domain</code></strong></span></dt><dd><p>
Adds a domain to the notification list, causing PDNS to send out notifications to the nameservers of a domain. Can be used if
a slave missed previous notifications or is generally hard of hearing.
</p></dd><dt><span class="term">notify-host <strong class="userinput"><code>domain</code></strong> <strong class="userinput"><code>host</code></strong></span></dt><dd><p>
Same as above but with operator specified IP address as destination, to be used if you know better than PowerDNS.
</p></dd><dt><span class="term">ping</span></dt><dd><p>
'PING' the powerdns-guardian. Will return 'PONG' when it is available. (Only works when you are running in guardian mode)
</p></dd><dt><span class="term">purge</span></dt><dd><p>
Purges the entire Packet Cache - see <a class="xref" href="performance.html" title="Chapter 9. Authoritative Server Performance">Chapter 9, <i>Authoritative Server Performance</i></a>.
</p></dd><dt><span class="term">purge <strong class="userinput"><code>record</code></strong></span></dt><dd><p>
Purges all entries for this exact record name - see <a class="xref" href="performance.html" title="Chapter 9. Authoritative Server Performance">Chapter 9, <i>Authoritative Server Performance</i></a>.
</p></dd><dt><span class="term">purge <strong class="userinput"><code>record</code></strong>$</span></dt><dd><p>
Purges all cache entries ending on this name, effectively purging an entire domain - see <a class="xref" href="performance.html" title="Chapter 9. Authoritative Server Performance">Chapter 9, <i>Authoritative Server Performance</i></a>.
</p></dd><dt><span class="term">purge</span></dt><dd><p>
Purges the entire Packet Cache - see <a class="xref" href="performance.html" title="Chapter 9. Authoritative Server Performance">Chapter 9, <i>Authoritative Server Performance</i></a>.
</p></dd><dt><span class="term">purge <strong class="userinput"><code>record</code></strong></span></dt><dd><p>
Purges all entries for this exact record name - see <a class="xref" href="performance.html" title="Chapter 9. Authoritative Server Performance">Chapter 9, <i>Authoritative Server Performance</i></a>.
</p></dd><dt><span class="term">rping</span></dt><dd><p>
'PING' the powerdns-instance. Will return 'PONG' when it is available.
</p></dd><dt><span class="term">rediscover</span></dt><dd><p>
Instructs backends that new domains may have appeared in the database, or, in the case of the Bind backend, in
named.conf.
</p></dd><dt><span class="term">reload</span></dt><dd><p>
Instructs backends that the contents of domains may have changed. Many backends ignore this, the Bind backend will check
timestamps for all zones (once queries come in for it) and reload if needed.
</p></dd><dt><span class="term">retrieve <strong class="userinput"><code>domain</code></strong></span></dt><dd><p>
Retrieve a slave domain from its master. Done nearly immediately.
</p></dd><dt><span class="term">set <strong class="userinput"><code>variable value</code></strong></span></dt><dd><p>
Set a configuration parameter. Currently only the 'query-logging' parameter can be set.
</p></dd><dt><span class="term">uptime</span></dt><dd><p>
Reports the uptime of the daemon in human readable form.
</p></dd><dt><span class="term">show <strong class="userinput"><code>variable</code></strong></span></dt><dd><p>Show a specific statistic. Use * for all. (You may need to quote as '*' or \*).</p></dd><dt><span class="term">version</span></dt><dd><p>Returns the version of a running pdns daemon.</p></dd><dt><span class="term">status</span></dt><dd><p>
Retrieves the status of PowerDNS. Only available when running with guardian.
</p></dd></dl></div><p>
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