Can Infoblox be used to restore lost DNS records

[#1]

Hi,

I have a question regarding Infoblox and DNS records.  Once we have Infoblox synched with DNS in read-only mode.  In the unfortnate event that we loose DNS records, lets say they get erased/overriden, by mistake.  Can we use the DNS records in Infoblox to restore our lost DNS records in the DNS server?  Has someone know of a way we can accomplish this?  Thanks.

[#2]

I'm assuming in this scenario the Infoblox is a secondary name server and the primary name server is not in the Infoblox Grid?

If the primary name server deletes a record, that will get synced to the Infoblox name server and override any data stored. Even if there was a record of the change on the Infoblox side (I don't think there is) it couldn't restore the record as it is a secondary name server. You need to restore on the primary

[#3]

Thanks.  

We're using Infoblox as Read-Write to DNS.  But our Infoblox grid is not a DNS server itself.  Were just reading and adding DNS records to DNS.  In the case that our DNS server looses DNS records for some reason, lets say human error, will we be able to write the records back from Infoblox grid to DNS to re-populate DNS?

[#4]

Not that I am aware of. I'm assuming you are talking about the Microsoft Management feature on NIOS. It might be possible to recover some data by looking at the syslog but that would be messy even if it is possible. The issue is that NIOS isn't authoratative for the data so it wouldn't know the difference between data accidently deleted and data deliberatly removed. NIOS would just sync the changes.

If the data was in NIOS itself (authoratative) you could use the NIOS recycle bin. Depending on your Microsoft configuraiton, this might help but it seems to be zone level rather than record level.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/730966/how-to-restore-dns-host-a-records-using-a...

[#5]

Another thing to consider, do you have a regular backup of NIOS? (e.g. taken daily or weekly)

https://docs.infoblox.com/space/nios90/280403352/Managing+Microsoft+Servers

When you back up the Grid, it includes all managed Microsoft data. If you restore a backup, the data is restored on the Grid only.

So if you have a recent backup from when the Microsoft data as synced to the Grid, you could deploy a lab NIOS VM, set temp licences and then restore the Grid backup to the lab to see the DNS records. You could then export to CSV and you would at least have a copy of the record values (even if you do have to restore to Microsoft manually).

[#6]

hey @buddy

Yes, Infoblox can indeed be used to restore lost DNS records, which is one of its key functionalities. If you have previously configured DNS records within the Infoblox system, you can leverage its built-in features to recover these records efficiently.

To restore lost DNS records, you can use the Infoblox Grid's configuration backup and restore capabilities. Ensure that your Smart PC is connected to the Infoblox Grid and has the necessary permissions to access these features. You can navigate to the backup section within the Infoblox interface, where you should find options to restore previous configurations or view historical records.

Additionally, if you have enabled logging features, Infoblox provides a detailed audit trail of DNS changes, allowing you to identify and recover specific records that may have been accidentally deleted. This can be particularly useful in a dynamic environment where DNS records change frequently.

If you’re unsure about the restoration process or face any challenges, consulting the Infoblox documentation or reaching out to their support team can provide further guidance. It’s essential to have a reliable backup strategy in place to prevent future data loss, ensuring your Smart PC and network infrastructure remain resilient.

Jonathan!