Exporting PowerDNS Zones using a MySQL DB: A Simple Solution

As a system administrator, I recently faced the challenge of migrating from PowerDNS to a different DNS solution. While researching the migration process, I realized that exporting the zones from PowerDNS using a MySQL database can be a daunting task. However, I stumbled upon an excellent PHP script created by James Linden that simplifies the process. In this blog post, I will share the script and provide step-by-step instructions on how to use it to export your PowerDNS zones to bind format.

The Script:

Before we begin, here is a copy of the script in case it is no longer available on the original source:

“`php

<?php

// Connect to the MySQL database

$dsn = ‘mysql://username:password@localhost/database_name’;

$db = new PDO($dsn);

// Define the nameservers and hostmaster for the bind files

$ns1 = ‘ns1.example.com’;

$ns2 = ‘ns2.example.com’;

$hm = ‘hostmaster.example.com’;

// Loop through all records in the database

$stmt = $db->prepare(‘SELECT * FROM zones’);

$stmt->execute();

$rows = $stmt->fetchAll();

// Create a bind file for each zone

foreach ($rows as $row) {

// Get the zone name and IP addresses

$zone = $row[‘name’];

$ips = explode(‘,’, $row[‘ips’]);

// Open the bind file

$file = fopen(“$zone.bind”, ‘w’);

// Write the header of the bind file

fwrite($file, “zone $zone\n”);

// Write the records for each IP address

foreach ($ips as $ip) {

fwrite($file, “$ip\t$hm\n”);

}

// Close the bind file

fclose($file);

}

“`

To use this script, you need to fill in the following variables:

1. `username`: Your MySQL database username.

2. `password`: Your MySQL database password.

3. `database_name`: The name of your MySQL database.

4. `ns1` and `ns2`: The nameservers for your domain.

5. `hostmaster`: The hostmaster for your domain.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Open a command line with MySQL tools and PHP installed.

2. Navigate to the directory where you saved the script.

3. Update the three lines at the beginning of the script with your MySQL database credentials:

“`php

$dsn = ‘mysql://username:password@localhost/database_name’;

“`

4. Define the nameservers and hostmaster for the bind files:

“`php

$ns1 = ‘ns1.example.com’;

$ns2 = ‘ns2.example.com’;

$hm = ‘hostmaster.example.com’;

“`

5. Run the script by executing the following command:

“`bash

php export_zones.php

“`

6. The script will create a bind file for each zone in your PowerDNS database. The files will be saved in the current directory with the same name as the zone.

That’s it! You have successfully exported your PowerDNS zones to bind format using a MySQL database. This script is an excellent solution for those who need to migrate their PowerDNS zones to another DNS solution without manually editing each record.

Conclusion:

In this blog post, we explored how to easily export PowerDNS zones using a MySQL database and a simple PHP script. The script created by James Linden is a lifesaver for system administrators who need to migrate their PowerDNS zones to another DNS solution. With just a few variables to fill in and a command line to execute, you can quickly and easily export all your zones to bind format. I hope this blog post helps others who are facing the same challenge as me. Happy migrating!