NSD
Free DNS server software
title: "NSD" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["dns-software", "free-network-related-software", "dns-server-software-for-linux", "software-using-the-bsd-license"] description: "Free DNS server software" topic_path: "technology/operating-systems" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NSD" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Free DNS server software ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox software"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | NSD |
| logo | |
| developer | NLnet Labs |
| released | |
| latest release version | |
| latest release date | |
| operating_system | Unix-like |
| genre | DNS server |
| license | BSD license |
| :: |
| name = NSD | logo = | caption = | developer = NLnet Labs | released = | latest release version = | latest release date = | latest preview version = | latest preview date = | operating_system = Unix-like | genre = DNS server | license = BSD license In Internet computing, NSD (for "name server daemon") is an open-source Domain Name System (DNS) server. It was developed by NLnet Labs of Amsterdam in cooperation with the RIPE NCC, from scratch as an authoritative name server (i.e., not implementing the recursive caching function by design). The intention of this development is to add variance to the "gene pool" of DNS implementations used by higher level name servers and thus increase the resilience of DNS against software flaws or exploits.
NSD uses BIND-style zone-files (zone-files used under BIND can usually be used unmodified in NSD, once entered into the NSD configuration).
NSD uses zone information compiled via zonec into a binary database file (nsd.db) which allows fast startup of the NSD name-service daemon, and allows syntax-structural errors in Zone-Files to be flagged at compile-time (before being made available to NSD service itself).
The collection of programs/processes that make-up NSD are designed so that the NSD daemon itself runs as a non-privileged user and can be easily configured to run in a Chroot jail, such that security flaws in the NSD daemon are not so likely to result in system-wide compromise as without such measures.
As of May 2018, four of the Internet root nameservers are using NSD:
- k.root-servers.net was switched to NSD on February 19, 2003.
- One of the 2 load-balanced servers for h.root-servers.net (called "H1", "H2") was switched to NSD, and now there are 3 servers all running NSD (called "H1", "H2", "H3").
- l.root-servers.net switched to NSD on February 6, 2007.
- d.root-servers.net was switched to NSD in May 2018.
Several other TLDs use NSD for part of their servers.
References
References
- Karrenberg, Daniel. (14 February 2003). "k.root-servers.net Changing DNS Software at on 19.2.2003".
- (18 May 2004). ""Stichting NLnet; Annual Report 2003" mentioning NSD on h.root-servers.net". Stichting NLnet Labs.
- Patrick Jones. (2014-09-09). "Lightning Talk on L-root".
- "D-Root History Page".
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