How to Configure the DNS Suffix Search List for a Disjoint Namespace

How to Configure the DNS Suffix Sea...

Topic Last Modified: 2007-10-22

This topic explains how to use Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) to configure the Domain Name System (DNS) suffix search list. In some Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 scenarios, if you have a disjoint namespace, you must configure the DNS suffix search list to include multiple DNS suffixes. For more information about Exchange 2007 and disjoint namespaces, see Understanding Disjoint Namespace Scenarios with Exchange 2007.

Before You Begin

Before you perform this procedure, confirm that you have installed .NET Framework 3.0 on the computer on which you will install GPMC.

The current version of GPMC that you can download from the Microsoft Download Center operates on the 32-bit versions of the Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP operating systems and can remotely manage Group Policy objects on 32-bit and 64-bit domain controllers. This version of GPMC does not include a 64-bit version, and the 32-bit version does not run on 64-bit platforms. The 32-bit version of Windows Server 2008 and the 32-bit version of Windows Vista both include a 32-bit version of GPMC. The 64-bit version of Windows Server 2008 and the 64-bit version of Windows Vista both include a 64-bit version of GPMC.

To perform this procedure, the account you use must be delegated the following:

Membership in the Domain Admins group

For more information about permissions, delegating roles, and the rights that are required to administer Exchange 2007, see Permission Considerations.

Procedure

To configure the DNS suffix search list for a disjoint namespace

On a 32-bit computer in your domain, install GPMC with Service Pack 1 (SP1). For download information, see Group Policy Management Console with Service Pack 1.

Note:
If you have a computer in your domain that is running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista, you can skip this step.
Click Start, click Programs, click Administrative Tools, and then click Group Policy Management.
In Group Policy Management, expand the forest and the domain in which you will apply Group Policy. Right-click Group Policy Objects, and then click New.
In New GPO, type a name for the policy, and then click OK.
Right-click the new policy that you created in Step 4, and then click Edit.
In Group Policy Object Editor, expand Computer Configuration, expand Administrative Templates, expand Network, and then click DNS Client.
Right-click DNS Suffix Search List, and then click Properties.
On the DNS Suffix Search List Properties page, select Enabled. In the DNS Suffixes box, type the primary DNS suffix of the disjoint computer, the DNS domain name, and any additional namespaces for other servers with which Exchange may interoperate, such as monitoring servers or servers for third-party applications. Click OK.
In Group Policy Management, expand Group Policy Objects, and then select the policy that you created in Step 4. On the Scope tab, scope the policy so that it applies to only the computers that are disjoint. For more information about scoping Group Policy objects, see Scoping GPOs.

Note:
If you have a computer in your domain that is running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista, you can skip this step.

For More Information

For more information about Group Policy, see the following topics: