Domain Name System (DNS) – Part III Creating and Managing DNS Zones in Microsoft Windows

Before installing a DNS server, you must make sure that the TCP/IP protocol is installed, a static IP address is assigned and the appropriate DNS domain name is specified. During the DNS Server service installation process, the following happens:

• Installs the DNS Server service, and starts the service automatically without restarting the computer.
• Installs the DNS snap-ins and adds the DNS Management shortcut to the Administrative Tools menu.
• Adds the following key for the DNS Server service to the registry:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Dns
• Creates the %systemroot%\SYSTEM32\DNS folder, which contains the DNS database files including the zone database file (domain_name.DNS), the reverse lookup file (z.y.w.x.IN-ADDR.ARPA), the cache file (CACHE.DNS) and an optional boot file (A BIND-specific implementation that controls how the DNS Server service starts).

To install a DNS server:

1. Open the Add/Remove Programs applet in the Control Panel
2. Click on the Add/Remove Windows Components
3. Click on the Next button
4. Click to highlight the Networking Services option
5. Click on the Details button
6. In the Subcomponents of Networking Services, make sure that there is a checkmark in the check box next to the Domain Name System (DNS).
7. Click on the OK button
8. Click on the Next button
9. If the Insert Disk dialog box appears, insert the Windows 2000 installation CD-ROM, ensure that the path to the source files is correct and click on the OK button.
10. Click on the Finish button

When you open the DNS console for the first time, the right pane will state that the DNS server has not been configured yet and to configure the server you need to open the Action menu and select the Configure the server option. When this happens, the DNS Server Configuration wizard will guide you through the process to configure the name server. When starting the DNS server for the first time, you must do the following:

1. Configure the root name server
2. Configure the forward lookup zone
3. Configure the reverse lookup zone
4. Create resources records (RR)

The root name server contains the resource records for all of the top-level name servers in the domain namespace, such as the COM and EDU domain. By default, the DNS service implements root hints using a file, CACHE.DNS, stored in the %SystemRoot%\System32\Dns folder on the server computer. This file normally contains the NS and A resource records for the Internet root servers.

If you are using a DNS service on a private network that is not connected to the Internet, you can edit or replace CACHE.DNS file with similar records that point to your own internal root DNS servers. In addition, the root name server would use a root domain, which is a standard primary forward lookup zone represented by a period (.). You should then delete the CACHE.DNS files for the root servers.

A forward lookup zone is that part of the DNS system that allows you to perform name-to-address resolution (forward lookup queries). On name servers, you must configure at least one forward lookup zone in order for the DNS Service to work. The forward lookup zone can be created by using the DNS Server wizard or starting the Create New Zone wizard by right-clicking the Forward Lookup Zone folder and selecting the Create a New Zone.

A reverse lookup zone allows you to perform address-to-name resolution (also known as reverse lookup queries). Different from forward lookup zones are not required, but are required to run some troubleshooting tools such as NSLOOKUP and to record a name instead of an IP address in Internet Information Services (IIS) log files. The reverse lookup zone can be created by using the DNS Server wizard or starting the Create New Zone wizard by right-clicking the Reverse Lookup Zone folder and selecting the Create a New Zone.

Once you create your zones, you can then create resource records (entries in the database file). To add a resource record, right-click the zone to which you want to add the record, and select the type of new record that you want to create. You should already have a SOA record that represents each zone and you should have a NS for the DNS servers in your zone. You will then start creating host and PTR records.

For more information, take a look at the MCSE Planning and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure Exam book by Que Publishing. Next week, we will look at Dynamic DNS and troubleshooting DNS.

• Microsoft
• DNS
• Windows Server 2003