Do automatic rndc configuration. This creates a file rndc.key in /etc (or whatever sysconfdir was specified as when BIND was built) that is read by both rndc and named on startup. The rndc.key file defines a default command channel and authentication key allowing rndc to communicate with named on the local host with no further configuration.

Running rndc-confgen -a allows BIND 9 and rndc to be used as drop-in replacements for BIND 8 and ndc, with no changes to the existing BIND 8 named.conf file.

If a more elaborate configuration than that generated by rndc-confgen -a is required, for example if rndc is to be used remotely, you should run rndc-confgen without the -a option and set up a rndc.conf and named.conf as directed.

Specifies the size of the authentication key in bits. Must be between 1 and 512 bits; the default is 128.

Used with the -a option to specify an alternate location for rndc.key.

Prints a short summary of the options and arguments to rndc-confgen.

Specifies the key name of the rndc authentication key. This must be a valid domain name. The default is rndc-key.

Specifies the command channel port where named listens for connections from rndc. The default is 953.

Specifies a source of random data for generating the authorization. If the operating system does not provide a /dev/random or equivalent device, the default source of randomness is keyboard input. randomdev specifies the name of a character device or file containing random data to be used instead of the default. The special value keyboard indicates that keyboard input should be used.

Specifies the IP address where named listens for command channel connections from rndc. The default is the loopback address 127.0.0.1.

Used with the -a option to specify a directory where named will run chrooted. An additional copy of the rndc.key will be written relative to this directory so that it will be found by the chrooted named.

Used with the -a option to set the owner of the rndc.key file generated. If -t is also specified only the file in the chroot area has its owner changed.