Specifying Automatic Partner Configuration

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

You can configure a WINS server to automatically configure other WINS server computers as replication partners. By using this automatic partner configuration, other WINS servers are discovered when they join the network and are added as replication partners.

When using automatic partner configuration, each WINS server announces its presence on the network by using periodic multicasts. These announcements are sent as Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) messages for the multicast group address of 224.0.1.24, which is reserved for WINS server use.

Automatic partner configuration is typically useful in small networks, such as single subnet LAN environments. However, you can use automatic partner configuration in routed networks. For WINS multicast support in routed networks, the forwarding of multicast traffic is made possible by configuring routers for each subnet to forward traffic to the WINS multicast group address of. 224.0.1.24.

Because periodic multicast announcements between WINS servers can add traffic to your network, automatic partner configuration is recommended only if you have a small number of installed WINS servers (typically, three or fewer).

Automatic partner configuration monitors multicast announcements from other WINS servers, and performs the following configuration steps:

  • Adds the IP addresses for the discovered servers to its list of replication partner servers.

  • Configures the discovered servers as push/pull partners.

  • Configures pull replication at two-hour intervals with the discovered servers.

If a remote server is discovered and added as a partner by means of multicasting, it is removed as a replication partner when WINS shuts down properly. To have automatic partner information persist when WINS restarts, you must manually configure the partners.

To manually configure replication with other WINS servers, use the WINS Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in or the Netsh command-line tool to specify roles for each partner and any related information.

For more information about the Netsh command-line tool, see "Netsh" and "Netsh commands for WINS" in Help and Support Center for Windows ServerĀ 2003.