Set Up a DNS Server with ESXCLI

You can use ESXCLI to set up a DNS server.

The following example illustrates setting up a DNS server. Specify one of the options listed in Connection Options for vCLI Host Management Commands in place of <conn_options>.

Procedure

Print a list of DNS servers configured on the system in the order in which they will be used.
```
esxcli <conn_options> network ip dns server list
```
If DNS is not set up for the target server, the command returns an empty string.
Add a server by running esxcli network ip dns server add and specifying the server IPv4 or IPv6 address.
```
esxcli <conn_options> network ip dns server add --server=<str>
```
Change the DNS settings.
- Specify the DNS server by using the --dns option and the DNS host.
```
esxcli <conn_options> network ip dns server add --server=<server>
```
  Run the command multiple times to specify multiple DNS hosts.
- Configure the DNS host name for the server specified by --server or --vihost.
```
esxcli <conn_options> system hostname set --host=<new_host_name>
```
- Configure the DNS domain name for the server specified by --server or --vihost.
```
esxcli <conn_options> system hostname --domain=mydomain.biz
```

To turn on DHCP, enable DHCP and set the VMkernel NIC.

Turn on DHCP for IPv4.

esxcli <conn_options> network ip interface ipv4 set --type dhcp/none/static
esxcli <conn_options> network ip interface ipv4 set --peer-dns=<str>

Turn on DHCP for IPv6.

esxcli <conn_options> network ip interface ipv6 set --enable-dhcpv6=true/false
esxcli <conn_options> network ip interface ipv6 set --peer-dns=<str>