Books on DNS

DNS and BIND, 4th edition
The Concise Guide to DNS and BIND
Linux DNS Server Administration
DNS on Windows NT
Windows 2000 DNS
Windows NT DNS
The Domain Name Handbook: High Stakes and Strategies in Cyberspace
UNIX System Administration Handbook, Third Edition
TCP/IP Network Administration, 3rd edition
Windows NT TCP/IP Network Administration
Building Internet Firewalls

11 titles are currently listed, in rough order of relevance to DNS and how up to date they are. If your favourite reference has been left out, please let me know and I will try to review it. Opinions expressed here are my own.

DNS and BIND, 4th edition (the cricket book)	Buy it at Amazon
Indispensable tutorial style DNS reference for anyone using BIND, with extensive coverage of troubleshooting techniques. Covers operation of all BIND versions (8.2.3, 9.1.0 and also 4.9), and provides a solid background to DNS theory. Now also covers dynamic DNS and DNS programming. The chapter on security is available free online. This book is a must-have for Internet administrators of all descriptions. Well-thumbed copies are also common on the shelves of network operations staff, Internet systems integrators, in fact almost all serious IT practitioners involved with Internet systems. Includes a section on coexisting with Windows 2000 DNS. Highly recommended! This book is also useful for those running the NT version of BIND 8, but note that it does not provide instructions for NT-specific operations issues such as installation, event logging, and the control panel interface.	Published: April 2001. Authors: Paul Albitz and Cricket Liu Publisher: O'Reilly & Associates ISBN: 0-596-00158-4 Errata may become available for this book over time. Version française disponible dèbut 1999 chez O'Reilly France.

The Concise Guide to DNS and BIND	Buy it at Amazon
Written by the maintainer of the Linux DNS HOWTO, this book has a strong practical focus. The style is brief and to the point, and the book is up to date and well worth reading. Lacks coverage of coexistence of BIND in a Windows 2000 environment, but highly recommended otherwise.	Published: November 2000 Author: Nicolai Langfeldt Publisher: Que ISBN: 0-7897-2273-9

Linux DNS Server Administration	Buy it at Amazon
Up to date and packed with well-considered advice: will repay close reading. Has a strong practical focus and is written in the characteristic Sybex easy-to-read style, but it would have been nice to see a discussion of dynamic DNS in a Windows 2000 environment, some tips on planning DNS changes, and more on split DNS. Recommended.	Published: July 2000 Author: Craig Hunt Publisher: Sybex ISBN: 0-782-12736-3

DNS on Windows NT	Buy it at Amazon
Version of the third edition of the cricket book with the same DNS theory but covering the Microsoft NT 4 DNS server instead of BIND. Recommended if you need to run this server; this book is the only comprehensive reference.	Published: October 1998. Authors: Paul Albitz, Matt Larson and Cricket Liu Publisher: O'Reilly & Associates ISBN: 1-56592-511-4

Windows 2000 DNS	Buy it at Amazon
Covers Microsoft 2000 DNS. Has too many screenshots, listings and tables to leave room for in-depth coverage. Otherwise a reasonable guide to Win2000 DNS administration.	Published: April 2000 Authors: Roger Abell, Herman Knief, Andrew Daniels and Jeffrey Graham Publisher: New Riders ISBN: 0-7357-0973-4

Windows NT DNS	Buy it at Amazon
Covers Microsoft NT 4 DNS. Due to the strong WINS/NetBIOS focus, there is lots of information about related issues, but has surprisingly little information about DNS itself.	Published: August 1998 Authors: Michael P. Masterson, Herman L. Knief, Scott Vinick and Eric Roul Publisher: New Riders ISBN: 1-56205-943-2

The Domain Name Handbook: High Stakes and Strategies in Cyberspace	Buy it at Amazon
Legal issues and domain registration, for a non-technical readership. Somewhat dated with the reorganisation of the top-level domain registries. The brief overview of DNS operation is still a good primer. Includes a CD with assorted documents (some of these may be useful for archival purposes, having been relocated or removed). This book manages to be incredibly thorough in referencing yet never mentions the DNSRD. If I had to fight a legal battle over domain names, a couple of copies would be useful to have on hand. Recommended, with reservations.	Published: June 1998 Authors: Ellen Rony and Peter Rony Publisher: R & D Books ISBN: 0-87930-515-0

UNIX System Administration Handbook, Third Edition	Buy it at Amazon
Nemeth and Snyder's classic Unix systems administration tome first appeared over a decade ago. This edition features chapter 16 dedicated to DNS; especially interesting is the feature comparison of vendor DNS variants. This is still the best single reference work for Unix administrators, containing a wealth of useful information. Useful for its DNS content, highly recommended for serious Unix systems administrators.	Published: 2001 Authors: Evi Nemeth, Garth Snyder, Scott Seebass, Trent R. Hein Publisher: Prentice Hall ISBN: 0-13-020601-6

TCP/IP Network Administration, 3rd edition (the crab book)	Buy it at Amazon
Contains a self-contained overview of DNS as one of the standard network services in a TCP/IP environment. Recommended for sites running Unix; a separate edition is available for Windows NT.	Published: April 2002 Author: Craig Hunt Publisher: O'Reilly & Associates ISBN: 0-596-00297-1

Windows NT TCP/IP Network Administration	Buy it at Amazon
Covers the DNS as one of the standard TCP/IP network services in an NT environment. This is the NT version of the crab book. Recommended if you need to run Windows NT.	Published: October 1998 Author: Craig Hunt and Robert Bruce Thompson Publisher: O'Reilly & Associates ISBN: 1-56592-377-4

Building Internet Firewalls, 2nd edition	Buy it at Amazon
A great, all-round security book with a practical approach. Chapter 20 includes a detailed section on DNS in a firewall environment, with very sound advice and good detail. Recommended for its DNS coverage; highly recommended for security administrators and those who need to understand firewalls in depth.	Published: June 2000 Authors: Elizabeth D. Zwicky, Simon Cooper and D. Brent Chapman Publisher: O'Reilly & Associates ISBN: 1-56592-871-7