dnsvizor, first article
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---
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date: 2024-10-25
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title: Meet DNSvizor: run your DHCP and DNS MirageOS unikernel
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description:
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The NGI-funded DNSvizor provides core network services on your network; DNS resolution and DHCP.
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tags:
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- OCaml
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- MirageOS
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- DNSvizor
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author:
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name: Hannes Mehnert
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email: hannes@mehnert.org
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link: https://hannes.robur.coop
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---
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TL;DR: We got [NGI0 Entrust (via NLnet)](https://nlnet.nl/entrust/) funding for developing
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[DNSvizor](https://nlnet.nl/project/DNSvizor/) - a DNS resolver and
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DHCP server. Please help us by [showing us your dnsmasq
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configuration](https://github.com/robur-coop/dnsvizor/issues/new), so we can
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prioritize the configuration options to support.
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## Introduction
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The [dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_Host_Configuration_Protocol)
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is fundamental in today's Internet and local networks. It usually runs on your
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router (or as a dedicated independent service) and automatically configures
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computers that join your network (for example wireless laptops, smartphones)
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with an IP address, routing information, a DNS resolver, etc. No manual
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configuration is needed once your friends' smartphone got the password of your
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wireless network \o/
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The [domain name system (DNS)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_Name_System)
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is responsible for translating domain names (such as "robur.coop", "nlnet.nl")
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to IP addresses (such as 193.30.40.138 or 2a0f:7cc7:7cc7:7c40::138) - used by
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computers to talk to each other. Humans can remember domain names instead of
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memorizing IP addresses. Computers than use DNS to translate these domain names
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to IP addresses to communicate with. DNS is a hierarchic, distributed,
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faul-tolerant service.
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These two protocols are fundamental to today's Internet: without them it would
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be much harder for humans to use it.
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## DNSvizor
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We at [robur](https://robur.coop) got funding (from
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[NGI0 Entrust via NLnet](https://nlnet.nl/project/DNSvizor/)) to continue our work on
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[DNSvizor](https://github.com/robur-coop/dnsvizor) - a
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[MirageOS unikernel](https://mirageos.org) that provides DNS resolution and
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DHCP service for a network. This is fully implemented in
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[OCaml](https://ocaml.org).
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Already at our [MirageOS retreats](https://retreat.mirageos.org) we deployed
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such unikernel, to test our [DHCP implementation](https://github.com/mirage/charrua)
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and our [DNS resolver](https://github.com/mirage/ocaml-dns) - and found and
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fixed issues on-site. At the retreats we have a very limited Internet uplink,
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thus caching DNS queries and answers is great for reducing the load on the
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uplink.
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Thanks to the funding we received, we'll be able to work on improving the
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performance, but also to finish our DNSSec implementation, provide DNS-over-TLS
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and DNS-over-HTTPS services, and also a web interface. DNSvizor will use the
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existing [dnsmasq](https://thekelleys.org.uk/dnsmasq/doc.html) configuration
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syntax, and provide lots of features from dnsmasq, and also provide features
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such as block lists from [pi-hole](https://pi-hole.net/).
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We are at a point where the [basic unikernel (our MVP)](https://github.com/robur-coop/dnsvizor)
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- providing DNS and DHCP services - is ready, and we provide
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[reproducible binary builds](https://builds.robur.coop/job/dnsvizor). Phew. This
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means that the first step is done.
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We are now curious on concrete usages of dnsmasq and the configurations you use.
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If you're interested in dnsvizor, please [open an issue at our repository](https://github.com/robur-coop/dnsvizor/issues/new)
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with your dnsmasq configuration. This will help us to guide which parts of the configuration to prioritize.
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## Conclusion
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DNSvizor provides DNS resolution and DHCP service for your network, and already
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exists :). Please report issues you encounter and questions you may have. Also,
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if you use dnsmasq, please [show us your configuration](https://github.com/robur-coop/dnsvizor/issues/new).
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If you're interested in MirageOS and using it in your domain, don't hesitate
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to reach out to us (via eMail: team@robur.coop) - we're keen to deploy MirageOS
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and find more domains where it is useful. If you can spare a dime, we're a
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registered non-profit in Germany - and can provide tax-deductable receipts for
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donations ([more information](https://robur.coop/Donate)).
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