WIN 2003 DNS Concept

I just setup a new WIN 2003 Stand. Edition server that is mjy PDC. I
understand the basics of DNS, but need to understand a concept.

When going through DCPROMO wizard, 1 screen asks if I want DNS setup. I
choose yes.

What else do I need to do to make the server go to my ISP's DNS server and
get dns records?

Basically I just want my server to get dns records from my ISP, keep them
cached on the server, but fetch them from ISP when needed.

In the state I'm in, is this server just setup to take care of the DNS
records of my local area network?

 

1. First make sure that your server in manually configured with a static IP
address and that it points only to itself for DNS.

2. Go to Administrative Tools - DNS. Right click the server and select
Properties. Click the Forwarders tab, check the box for Enable forwarders,
then add the IP address of your ISP's DNS server. Note - if the Forwarders
tab is grayed out or not accessible, delete the "." zone.

Doug Sherman
MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP

 

If you are dcproming your server you are making it the domain controler and
root of your active directory.
Also an SOA for your domain names records.

Your server is now a DNS Server and will pull its records from the ROOT DNS
Servers.
So unless your ISP is blocking DNS request from third party DNS Servers,
your DNS server will work fine this way. Now that you have your own DNS
server for your network, your in control of what it does updates etc... to
foward to your ISP seems a bit odd now doesnt it.

 

what's SOA mean?

 

for example, on all client xp pc's, dns server 1 would be my pdc server and
dns server 2 would be my ISP.

If a xp client requests a web page, it would check the pdc server, if it
doesn't find the url, then check the ISP DNS server.

Would your instructions accomplish this?

 

SOA = Start of Authority.

 

No. If the DC returns a host not found response, the client will not query
the secondary server.

Doug Sherman
MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP