Introduction

PowerDNS is a powerful DNS server that supports various backends for dynamic DNS management, while PowerAdmin is a web-based front-end for managing PowerDNS. In this guide, you will learn how to install PowerDNS and PowerAdmin on Rocky Linux, which can be effectively hosted on a Windows VPS UK for enhanced performance and security.

Prerequisites

• A Rocky Linux server with root access
• Basic knowledge of Linux commands
• An active internet connection

Step 1: Update Your System

Start by updating your package index and upgrading existing packages:

sudo dnf update -y

Step 2: Install PowerDNS

Install PowerDNS and the necessary dependencies:

sudo dnf install pdns pdns-backend-mysql -y

Ensure that the MySQL server is installed, as it will be used as the backend for PowerDNS.

Step 3: Install MySQL Server

If you don't have MySQL installed, you can install it with the following command:

sudo dnf install mysql-server -y

Start and enable the MySQL service:

sudo systemctl start mysqld
sudo systemctl enable mysqld

Step 4: Secure MySQL Installation

Run the MySQL secure installation script to set the root password and secure your installation:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Step 5: Configure PowerDNS

Open the PowerDNS configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/pdns/pdns.conf

Add the following lines to configure the MySQL backend:

launch=gmysql
gmysql-host=localhost
gmysql-user=pdns
gmysql-password=your_password
gmysql-dbname=pdns

Make sure to replace your_password with the password you set for the MySQL user.

Step 6: Create the PowerDNS Database

Log in to MySQL and create the PowerDNS database and user:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Run the following SQL commands:

CREATE DATABASE pdns;
CREATE USER 'pdns'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON pdns.* TO 'pdns'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Step 7: Start PowerDNS

Start the PowerDNS service and enable it to run at boot:

sudo systemctl start pdns
sudo systemctl enable pdns

Step 8: Install PowerAdmin

Download and install PowerAdmin:

wget https://github.com/PowerDNS-Admin/PowerDNS-Admin/archive/refs/heads/master.zip
unzip master.zip
sudo mv PowerDNS-Admin-master /var/www/html/poweradmin
sudo chown -R apache:apache /var/www/html/poweradmin

Step 9: Configure Apache for PowerAdmin

Create a new Apache configuration file for PowerAdmin:

sudo nano /etc/httpd/conf.d/poweradmin.conf

Add the following configuration:

<Directory /var/www/html/poweradmin>
    Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
    AllowOverride All
    Require all granted
</Directory>


    ServerName yourdomain.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html/poweradmin

Replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain name.

Step 10: Restart Apache

Restart the Apache service to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart httpd

Step 11: Access PowerAdmin

Open your web browser and navigate to http://yourdomain.com. You should see the PowerAdmin interface. Follow the on-screen instructions to configure your DNS settings.

Step 12: Conclusion

You have successfully installed PowerDNS and PowerAdmin on Rocky Linux. This DNS management solution can significantly benefit from being hosted on a Windows VPS. For additional options, explore various VPS UK Windows solutions, including Windows Virtual Private Server Hosting and Windows VPS Hosting UK for optimal performance and security.