@feoh @stripey

Running DNS resolvers on two hosts, one of which is on a UPS, is all the reliability a house network needs.

DNS used to be a major investment of resources. But computers are much, much faster these days; even a Pi-zero can resolve everything a family of four with a dozen devices apiece can ask for.

I touch BIND config when I add a new device to the household -- that's it. And it's three lines of config, usually, because I set both A and AAAA records, and then remember to change the serial number.

I'm not saying that there's something wrong with your config; I'm just saying that the 'hard way' really isn't hard.