Using the Configure DNS Server Wizard

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In most cases, you do not need to manually configure DNS to support Active Directory; you can let the Active Directory Installation wizard automatically configure DNS. However, you can use the Configure DNS Server wizard to configure DNS if you want a DNS configuration other than the default configuration that the Active Directory Installation wizard sets up. For example, you might want your DNS server to be different from your domain controller.

If you plan to use the Configure DNS Server wizard to configure your DNS server, perform the following tasks before running the wizard:

  • If the DNS server is not already installed, install it.

  • If this server will not be the root DNS server, configure its network connections to point to one or more DNS servers in your network.

While you are running the wizard or after you have completed the wizard, you must create a forward lookup zone that is authoritative for the locator records that Netlogon will add.

After you have completed configuration of your DNS server by using the wizard, you must perform the following tasks:

  • Enable dynamic updates on that zone.

  • Unless this is a root zone, add a delegation to the new forward lookup zone in its parent zone.

  • Make sure that the server that will be a domain controller has network connectivity to this server.

To configure a DNS server that is not running on a domain controller, you must be a member of the Administrators group for that computer.

To configure a DNS server that is running on a domain controller, you must be a member of at least one of the groups listed in the access control list (ACL) of the MicrosoftDNS container in Active Directory. The group must also have Full Control permissions. By default, the following groups are listed in the ACL:

  • DNS Administrators

  • Domain Administrators

  • Enterprise Administrators

Before configuring DNS, verify that your DNS client settings are correct.

To verify DNS client settings

  1. Right-click My Network Places , and then click Properties .

  2. Right-click the connection for which you want to configure the DNS server, and then click Properties .

  3. Click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and then click Properties .

  4. On the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties page, enter the IP address of the existing DNS server in the Preferred DNS server field. You can also add the IP address of an alternate DNS server in the Alternate DNS server field.

  5. If you need to specify more than one alternate DNS server, click Advanced , click the DNS tab, and then enter the servers in the DNS server addresses box.

The Configure DNS Server wizard uses the DNS client information to determine whether there are any root DNS servers on the network. For more information about setting the DNS server IP address, see Windows 2000 Server Help.

Also, you must install the DNS server before configuring the server. To install and configure the DNS server, perform the following procedures:

To install the DNS server

  1. In Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs , and then click Add/Remove Windows Components .

  2. Click Components , and then click Next .

  3. Click Networking Services , and then click Details .

  4. If it is not already selected, select the check box next to Domain Name System (DNS) , and then click OK .

  5. Click Next . Windows 2000 installs DNS.

  6. Click Finish .

To configure the DNS server

  1. In Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools and then double-click DNS .

  2. Click the DNS server to expand it.

  3. Right-click the name of the server, and select Configure the server from the context menu. The Configure DNS Server wizard starts and guides you through the process of setting up DNS. In some cases, this includes creating a reverse lookup zone. For more information about creating a reverse lookup zone, see "Adding a Reverse Lookup Zone" later in this chapter.

  4. Optionally, if Active Directory has already been installed, integrate the zone with Active Directory. For information about integrating the zone with Active Directory, see "Active Directory Integration and Multimaster Replication" later in this chapter.

The Configure DNS Server wizard prompts you for all the information needed to create the appropriate forward and reverse lookup zones.

The Configure DNS Server wizard also primes the root hints and creates a root zone, if necessary, exactly as the Active Directory Installation wizard does. However, it does not create a reverse lookup zone, so you must do that later. For more information about creating reverse lookup zones, see "Adding a Reverse Lookup Zone" later in this chapter.

If you are creating an Active Directory domain, you must perform some additional configuration.

To configure the DNS server to support Active Directory

  1. Make sure that you have a forward lookup zone that is authoritative for the resource records registered by Netlogon.

  2. Configure the forward lookup zone to enable dynamic update.

  3. Unless this DNS server is a root DNS server, from the parent server, delegate the forward lookup zone to this server.