diff --git a/inventories/chaosknoten/host_vars/auth-dns.sops.yaml b/inventories/chaosknoten/host_vars/auth-dns.sops.yaml
index 78832249..fbf06b66 100644
--- a/inventories/chaosknoten/host_vars/auth-dns.sops.yaml
+++ b/inventories/chaosknoten/host_vars/auth-dns.sops.yaml
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 ansible_pull__age_private_key: ENC[AES256_GCM,data:2kBG8j8JHa/dlXgWMdbSobulFdVunf052T1QQfm1X2vpEZx2HPCL87fWea+O0WOg7+eoMYbiShu0Vw1eTjb+687LjU8l4cj2JWIajnYfDGH+ipWXojxj613C3RZV3JfDOclVTwP8fCHu7z7P3fKrsKWb5d3t2ohTT+sGdVdimakAOf192CkufcVIthq2imiWbntiMTOdMGJxyIjqT2Io2H89nSbJXkONsuHCF/PbxhryB2LZbl8aZV32knk=,iv:hpscVc7iO4r/h31vS6Zno2pkEsgA2uR7wD/1PjH1znM=,tag:ypiwFtgeXuj4gOsgTCRTBw==,type:str]
-knot__dnssec_key_secret: ENC[AES256_GCM,data:WPFTLyJIttFtqqTZV2fGN0Tt1vRS318TGmd2YqNzYisE3TBi6Z2aClxuYh56Q+j7TUQwCvga3jd5w017sEz3kA==,iv:umaFHBCy9AZgNFv7uXLCtO0o/NZDAZ1QNg5DcGHWEW8=,tag:oR92C1Uj5iXU9L02MqzGSQ==,type:str]
+knot__keys:
+  - id: ENC[AES256_GCM,data:ff7Z1SHmKVseX4hguwcfrqLKyDKu3Imw1Q==,iv:Ds5T3cvi2XYAa3C8mbgYjN8AHM4FsKR2RTPvykWgy2E=,tag:7Gveno0zsLf3bDOYgkQkbw==,type:str]
+    secret: ENC[AES256_GCM,data:dJcVnqQ6hlA/xp4NQ5s9by+z9cm5oWD7KAlPX+kDsvSJn33YiZ/A/wf0jfT+FeVLaBerQ6WipxZs90rp8rD+dg==,iv:JVby6vORdqChps6cRx1EJPNBC7+M0Vgp1ji1nQtv3K4=,tag:X0KggJahlTOAowTNnpPs2g==,type:str]
+    algorithm: ENC[AES256_GCM,data:r7uojDN+o1yYgaY=,iv:KBWKZbd+5qZstuMh6gseq/vC86UB/l9m4wVZpA4usPk=,tag:gfU3asmwOIgxJQsqPG712g==,type:str]
 sops:
   age:
-    - recipient: age18zgt4y2sd75hxnpe333zz39048ctxpr0q8a3uqh3jajjkyawsdrq8yg5ve
-      enc: |
+    - enc: |
         -----BEGIN AGE ENCRYPTED FILE-----
         YWdlLWVuY3J5cHRpb24ub3JnL3YxCi0+IFgyNTUxOSArVUxoOFhZdi9PSkZlU3pw
         VW0vNVRTSG9EamUvVGR0dnN6ajcwTXdlQkdZCkFGVWxPcTNSOGtJdlpSMXJxOFBX
@@ -11,8 +13,9 @@ sops:
         SHhROG5nMGp2d3dwWVJsZk55TW93dU0KnW2ZhU6OhwwPBIxcO1xP+W8DV5Obj6ov
         Hgb8MQ6i9FlhAN/P8onBsqvbh0ttBEFQ6aRJj5njKs/MMfKUk9Q25g==
         -----END AGE ENCRYPTED FILE-----
-  lastmodified: "2026-05-01T17:08:09Z"
-  mac: ENC[AES256_GCM,data:TaMWf1ESs8nYzxkElMYtsz+/Be0PtI7FA0q6IFK+ob4dl/EN+AeTD7Pp0MZF8zcRvZ4hF0Ybimet5bwVR+d7UIXlXz3qP//pX68JDCvcLMQuhNtm6Ws+mwVxkpxEvBr1PtxlSvcQ76vH3ryEsXkP84gmlCDEdX1GAZYZ9ZS3Cfk=,iv:g3tzUfTPNUQyOAxWJEFPHg0IAPAzQgwYABHm4mFOOrI=,tag:C6KE/bg/3jS7Wc56y6YOJQ==,type:str]
+      recipient: age18zgt4y2sd75hxnpe333zz39048ctxpr0q8a3uqh3jajjkyawsdrq8yg5ve
+  lastmodified: "2026-09-11T08:40:23Z"
+  mac: ENC[AES256_GCM,data:UrncHXwMWUzs5pciDVUGJ885EBsPfrOFswzDOej2pQOTrp6+YomluHivy/L5niSYb05HaGy+9puw35+d+9SXQbgoI5WbwYo2LQ2MggMWSchnnZoy3O5S6LLjBhcvebDv4/1JGvftyBS1LnU7mmJaMekV5KASXaGyuwKumsdTojA=,iv:HJqCXtqQErP/50tR7LL2eAN574NkVO/3QfYsK1q9tt4=,tag:BniLURhadzSliPYz0cRgkA==,type:str]
   pgp:
     - created_at: "2026-05-20T02:08:47Z"
       enc: |-
@@ -185,4 +188,4 @@ sops:
         -----END PGP MESSAGE-----
       fp: 41FFAF3D519CF5C039FBD8414BCC213729AF0E49
   unencrypted_suffix: _unencrypted
-  version: 3.12.1
+  version: 3.13.3
diff --git a/inventories/chaosknoten/host_vars/auth-dns.yaml b/inventories/chaosknoten/host_vars/auth-dns.yaml
index 7d220bcb..035e0328 100644
--- a/inventories/chaosknoten/host_vars/auth-dns.yaml
+++ b/inventories/chaosknoten/host_vars/auth-dns.yaml
@@ -3,18 +3,21 @@ deploy_systemd_resolved_config__enable: false
 
 alloy_config_additional: "{{ lookup('ansible.builtin.template', 'resources/chaosknoten/auth-dns/alloy/knot-exporter.alloy') }}"
 
-knot__dnssec_key_id: "auth-dns.hamburg.ccc.de-1"
 knot__remotes:
   - id: erfadns.ber.ccc.de
     address: [ "2a02:8000:1000:101::196", "185.106.84.196" ]
+    via: [ "2a00:14b0:4200:3000:124::1", "212.12.48.124" ]
   - id: ns.vie.ccc.de
     address: [ "2a02:1b8:10:31::228", "146.255.57.228" ]
+    via: [ "2a00:14b0:4200:3000:124::1", "212.12.48.124" ]
+  # - id: cccfr-de-hidden-primary
+  #   address: [ "89.163.204.252" ]
 
 knot__catalog_zones:
   - domain: "hamburg.ccc.de.catalog."
     notify_targets: [ "erfadns.ber.ccc.de" ]
 
-knot__zones:
+knot__primary_zones:
   - domain: "hh.ccc.de."
     catalog_member: "hamburg.ccc.de.catalog."
     notify_targets: [ "erfadns.ber.ccc.de" ]
@@ -48,3 +51,7 @@ knot__zones:
   - domain: "3.2.0.0.0.0.0.f.0.b.4.1.0.0.a.2.ip6.arpa."
     notify_targets: [ "erfadns.ber.ccc.de" ]
     content: "{{ lookup('ansible.builtin.file', 'resources/chaosknoten/auth-dns/zones/3.2.0.0.0.0.0.f.0.b.4.1.0.0.a.2.ip6.arpa.zone') }}"
+
+# knot__catalog_secondary_zones:
+#   - domain: "cccfr.catalog.invalid"
+#     primary: "cccfr-de-hidden-primary"
diff --git a/roles/knot/defaults/main.yaml b/roles/knot/defaults/main.yaml
index 50a3ffb5..572abe28 100644
--- a/roles/knot/defaults/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/knot/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -1,2 +1,11 @@
 ---
+knot__deploy_prometheus_exporter: true
+knot__log_level: info
 knot__remotes: [ ]
+knot__keys: [ ]
+knot__catalog_zones: [ ]
+knot__primary_zones: [ ]
+knot__catalog_secondary_zones: [ ]
+knot__secondary_zones: [ ]
+knot__dynamic_zones: [ ]
+knot__acls: [ ]
diff --git a/roles/knot/meta/argument_specs.yaml b/roles/knot/meta/argument_specs.yaml
index 40a58238..61a529b1 100644
--- a/roles/knot/meta/argument_specs.yaml
+++ b/roles/knot/meta/argument_specs.yaml
@@ -2,14 +2,15 @@
 argument_specs:
   main:
     options:
-      knot__dnssec_key_id:
-        description: The id of the TSIG key which knot will use for zone transfer signing
+      knot__log_level:
         type: str
-        required: true
-      knot__dnssec_key_secret:
-        description: The secret value of the TSIG key which knot will use for zone transfer signing
-        type: str
-        required: true
+        required: false
+
+      knot__deploy_prometheus_exporter:
+        type: bool
+        required: false
+        description: Whether a prometheus exporter for knot should also be installed
+
       knot__remotes:
         description:
           - A list of definitions for remote nameservers that are used for different purposes
@@ -25,11 +26,19 @@ argument_specs:
             type: list
             required: true
             elements: str
+          key:
+            type: str
+            required: false
+          via:
+            type: list
+            elements: str
+            required: false
+
       knot__catalog_zones:
         description: A list of catalog zones that will be served by knot
         type: list
         elements: dict
-        required: true
+        required: false
         options:
           domain:
             type: str
@@ -38,11 +47,12 @@ argument_specs:
             type: list
             elements: str
             required: false
-      knot__zones:
+
+      knot__primary_zones:
         description: A list of user zones that will be served by knot
         type: list
         elements: dict
-        required: true
+        required: false
         options:
           domain:
             type: str
@@ -57,3 +67,105 @@ argument_specs:
           content:
             type: str
             required: true
+
+      knot__dynamic_zones:
+        description: A list of user zones operated via DDNS that will be served by knot
+        type: list
+        elements: dict
+        required: false
+        options:
+          domain:
+            type: str
+            required: true
+          notify_targets:
+            type: list
+            elements: str
+            required: false
+          catalog_member:
+            type: str
+            required: false
+          acl:
+            type: list
+            elements: str
+            required: true
+
+      knot__secondary_zones:
+        description: A list of secondary zones that will be served by knot
+        required: false
+        type: list
+        elements: dict
+        options:
+          domain:
+            type: str
+            required: true
+          notify_targets:
+            type: list
+            elements: str
+            required: false
+          catalog_member:
+            type: str
+            required: false
+          primary:
+            type: str
+            required: true
+
+      knot__catalog_secondary_zones:
+        description: A list of zones which are catalog secondaries and which will generate new zones based on the catalog content
+        type: list
+        elements: dict
+        required: false
+        options:
+          domain:
+            type: str
+            required: true
+          notify_targets:
+            type: list
+            elements: str
+            required: false
+          primary:
+            type: str
+            required: true
+
+      knot__keys:
+        description: TSIG Key stanzas used by knot
+        required: false
+        type: list
+        elements: dict
+        options:
+          id:
+            type: str
+            required: true
+          algorithm:
+            type: str
+            required: false
+          secret:
+            type: str
+            required: true
+
+      knot__acls:
+        description: ACL stanzas
+        required: false
+        type: list
+        elements: dict
+        options:
+          id:
+            type: str
+            required: true
+          address:
+            type: list
+            elements: str
+            required: false
+          key:
+            type: str
+            required: false
+          remote:
+            type: list
+            elements: str
+            required: false
+          action:
+            type: str
+            required: false
+          update_type:
+            type: list
+            elements: str
+            required: false
diff --git a/roles/knot/tasks/02-configure.yaml b/roles/knot/tasks/02-configure.yaml
index e79143fc..fe4be107 100644
--- a/roles/knot/tasks/02-configure.yaml
+++ b/roles/knot/tasks/02-configure.yaml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 - name: Deploy configured zones
   become: true
   notify: reload knot
-  loop: "{{ knot__zones }}"
+  loop: "{{ knot__primary_zones }}"
   loop_control:
     label: "{{ item.domain }}"
   vars:
@@ -34,17 +34,3 @@
     group: knot
     mode: u=rw,g=r
     validate: "kzonecheck -v -o '{{ item.domain }}' %s"
-
-# this seems weird but hear me out:
-# if we don't disable SLAAC, the node automatically gets an address based on IPv6 Router-Advertisements
-# this results in outgoing zone transfers failing because knot will prefer to use the dynamic address over the statically configured one.
-# so because we are configuring a DNS Nameserver where known IP-Addresses are actually important for ACL reasons, SLAAC is disabled
-- name: Disable IPv6 SLAAC
-  become: true
-  notify: netplan apply
-  ansible.builtin.template:
-    src: "netplan-disable-ra.yaml"
-    dest: "/etc/netplan/10-disable-ra.yaml"
-    owner: root
-    group: root
-    mode: u=rw,g=,o=
diff --git a/roles/knot/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/knot/tasks/main.yaml
index bdf5cf78..145dc582 100644
--- a/roles/knot/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/knot/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 ---
-- ansible.builtin.import_tasks: 01-install.yaml # noqa: name[missing]
-- ansible.builtin.import_tasks: 02-configure.yaml # noqa: name[missing]
-- ansible.builtin.import_tasks: 03-configure-exporter.yaml # noqa: name[missing]
+- tags: [ knot ]
+  block:
+    - ansible.builtin.import_tasks: 01-install.yaml # noqa: name[missing]
+    - ansible.builtin.import_tasks: 02-configure.yaml # noqa: name[missing]
+    - ansible.builtin.include_tasks: 03-configure-exporter.yaml # noqa: name[missing]
+      when: knot__deploy_prometheus_exporter
diff --git a/roles/knot/templates/knot.conf.j2 b/roles/knot/templates/knot.conf.j2
index 45a0f8d9..03c46ffe 100644
--- a/roles/knot/templates/knot.conf.j2
+++ b/roles/knot/templates/knot.conf.j2
@@ -9,15 +9,17 @@ server:
 
 log:
   - target: syslog
-    any: info
+    any: {{ knot__log_level }}
 
 database:
     storage: "/var/lib/knot"
 
 key:
-  - id: {{ knot__dnssec_key_id }}
-    algorithm: hmac-sha512
-    secret: "{{ knot__dnssec_key_secret }}"
+  {% for i_key in knot__keys -%}
+  - id: "{{ i_key.id }}"
+    algorithm: "{{ i_key.algorithm | default("hmac-sha256") }}"
+    secret: "{{ i_key.secret }}"
+  {% endfor %}
 
 remote:
   # static, external and public remote used for DNSSEC KSK checking
@@ -28,6 +30,13 @@ remote:
   {% for i_remote in knot__remotes -%}
   - id: "{{ i_remote.id }}"
     address: [ {% for i_addr in i_remote.address %}"{{ i_addr}}"{% if not loop.last %},{% endif %} {% endfor %} ]
+    {% if i_remote.via | default(None) -%}
+    via: [ {% for i_via in i_remote.via %}"{{ i_via }}"{% if not loop.last %}, {% endif %}{% endfor %} ]
+    {% endif -%}
+    {% if i_remote.key | default(None) -%}
+    key: "{{ i_remote.key }}"
+    {% endif %}
+
   {% endfor %}
   {% endif %}
 
@@ -46,10 +55,33 @@ policy:
     nsec3: true
     nsec3-salt-length: 0
 
+# explicit acl configurations
+# we mostly rely on automatic ACLs but for some dynamic zones, explicit allow stanzas are required
+acl:
+  {% for i_acl in knot__acls -%}
+  - id: "{{ i_acl.id }}"
+    {% if i_acl.address | default(None) -%}
+    address: [ {% for i_addr in i_acl.address %}"{{ i_addr}}"{% if not loop.last %}, {% endif %}{% endfor %} ]
+    {% endif -%}
+    {% if i_acl.key | default(None) -%}
+    key: "{{ i_acl.key }}"
+    {% endif -%}
+    {% if i_acl.remote | default(None) -%}
+    remote: "{{ i_acl.remote }}"
+    {% endif -%}
+    {% if i_acl.action | default(None) -%}
+    action: "{{ i_acl.action }}"
+    {% endif -%}
+    {% if i_acl.update_type | default(None) -%}
+    update-type: [ {% for i_addr in i_acl.update_type %}"{{ i_addr}}"{% if not loop.last %}, {% endif %}{% endfor %} ]
+    {% endif %}
+
+  {% endfor %}
+
 # define default settings that apply to all zones
 template:
-  # template for general-purpose user zones
-  - id: default
+  # template for general-purpose primary zones
+  - id: primary
     storage: "/etc/knot/zones"
     file: "%s.zone"
     semantic-checks: on
@@ -57,17 +89,45 @@ template:
     zonefile-load: difference-no-serial
     serial-policy: dateserial
     journal-content: all
-    default-ttl: 7200
     dnssec-signing: on
     dnssec-policy: default
 
-    {# catalog-role: member #}
-    {# catalog-zone: hamburg.ccc.de.catalog. #}
+  # template for generic secondary zones
+  - id: secondary
+    storage: "/var/lib/knot/secondary_zones/"
+    dnssec-signing: off
+
+  # template for zones that support dynamic updates
+  - id: dynamic-primary
+    storage: "/var/lib/knot/dynamic_zones/"
+    zonefile-load: whole
+    journal-content: changes
+    dnssec-signing: on
+    dnssec-policy: default
 
   # template for automatically created special zones
   - id: catalog
     catalog-role: generate
     dnssec-signing: off
+    storage: "/var/lib/knot/catalog_zones/"
+
+  # template for secondary catalog zones (they are interpreted and generate secondary zones based on their content)
+  - id: catalog-secondary
+    catalog-role: interpret
+    dnssec-signing: off
+    storage: "/var/lib/knot/secondary_zones/"
+
+  # templates for secondary catalog member zones
+  # these templates are for zones which get spawned by catalog zones
+  # unfortunately we need one template per interpreted catalog zone because it must include all information required for that zone to work as secondary
+  # it reuses master and notify values from the catalog zones
+  {% for i_zone in knot__catalog_secondary_zones -%}
+  - id: catalog-secondary-member-{{ i_zone.domain }}
+    storage: "/var/lib/knot/secondary_zones/"
+    dnssec-signing: off
+    master: {{ i_zone.primary }}
+
+  {% endfor %}
 
 
 # define zones on this server
@@ -80,10 +140,10 @@ zone:
     notify: [ {% for i_notif in i_zone.notify_targets | default([]) %}"{{ i_notif }}"{% if not loop.last %}, {% endif %}{% endfor %} ]
   {% endfor %}
 
-  # normal zones
-  {% for i_zone in knot__zones -%}
+  # primary zones
+  {% for i_zone in knot__primary_zones -%}
   - domain: "{{ i_zone.domain }}"
-    template: default
+    template: primary
     notify: [ {% for i_notif in i_zone.notify_targets | default([]) %}"{{ i_notif }}"{% if not loop.last %}, {% endif %}{% endfor %} ]
     {% if i_zone.catalog_member | default(False) -%}
     catalog-role: member
@@ -92,3 +152,39 @@ zone:
 
   {% endfor %}
 
+  # dynamic primary zones
+  {% for i_zone in knot__dynamic_zones -%}
+  - domain: "{{ i_zone.domain }}"
+    template: "dynamic-primary"
+    notify: [ {% for i_notif in i_zone.notify_targets | default([]) %}"{{ i_notif }}"{% if not loop.last %}, {% endif %}{% endfor %} ]
+    acl: [ {% for i_acl in i_zone.acl %}"{{ i_acl }}"{% if not loop.last %}, {% endif %}{% endfor %} ]
+    {% if i_zone.catalog_member | default(False) -%}
+    catalog-role: member
+    catalog-zone: "{{ i_zone.catalog_member }}"
+    {% endif %}
+
+  {% endfor %}
+
+  # secondary zones
+  {% for i_zone in knot__secondary_zones -%}
+  - domain: "{{ i_zone.domain }}"
+    template: secondary
+    master: {{ i_zone.primary }}
+    notify: [ {% for i_notif in i_zone.notify_targets | default([]) %}"{{ i_notif }}"{% if not loop.last %}, {% endif %}{% endfor %} ]
+    {% if i_zone.catalog_member | default(False) -%}
+    catalog-role: member
+    catalog-zone: "{{ i_zone.catalog_member }}"
+    {% endif %}
+
+  {% endfor %}
+
+  # secondary catalog zones
+  {% for i_zone in knot__catalog_secondary_zones -%}
+  - domain: "{{ i_zone.domain }}"
+    template: catalog-secondary
+    catalog-template: catalog-secondary-member-{{ i_zone.domain }}
+    master: {{ i_zone.primary }}
+    notify: [ {% for i_notif in i_zone.notify_targets | default([]) %}"{{ i_notif }}"{% if not loop.last %}, {% endif %}{% endfor %} ]
+
+  {% endfor %}
+
diff --git a/roles/knot/templates/netplan-disable-ra.yaml b/roles/knot/templates/netplan-disable-ra.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index bad31a5a..00000000
--- a/roles/knot/templates/netplan-disable-ra.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-# {{ ansible_managed }}
-network:
-  ethernets:
-    {%- for i_iface_name in ansible_facts["interfaces"] -%}
-    {%- if i_iface_name != "lo" -%}
-    {%- set i_iface = ansible_facts[i_iface_name] %}
-
-    {{ i_iface_name }}:
-      match:
-        macaddress: "{{ i_iface.macaddress }}"
-      accept-ra: false
-    {% endif %}
-    {% endfor %}