Zone file Import

[joanna159]

I want to import a zone file.
But supported formats are only csv, yaml and json.
So I generated a csv from my zone file, but it is not possible to import it.

Error message: Duplicate or conflicting column header for "3600"

I assume it is not intended this way?
I think importing zone files is a recurring task, it is at least part of my daily routine.

Is there any easy workaround?

[peteeckel]

The import mechanisms provided by NetBox (which is everything that's on offer with the "Import" links in NetBox) do not support importing special file formats at all, particularly not zone files.

In order to import data from master zone files you need to have a library that is able to parse them, which can for instance be done using dnspython. In the examples directory there is a sample importer that can be used to import directly from a DNS server via AXFR, but (currently) not a zone file importer.

If you are comfortable with Python you can very easily adapt AXFR_Importer.py to read from zone files instead. Basically you need to replace

        try:
            axfr_zone = from_xfr(
                xfr=xfr(
                    nameserver,
                    zone_name,
                    relativize=relativize,
                    **tsig_params,
                ),
                relativize=relativize,
            )
        except Exception:
            self.log_failure("Zone transfer failed")
            return

with a similar piece of code using `dns.zone.from_file()´.

Within the philosophy of NetBox as a "source of truth", importing data from external entities should not be something that is done after the initial migration to NetBox. It is, however, disputable whether a pure unidirectional flow of information can (and should) be maintained in all cases - I don't think so.

[joanna159]

Thank you for your quick reply.