• Article

Verifying DNS and LDAP Traffic

Topic Last Modified: 2009-01-25

The following tests should be carried out on each server in your Communicator Web Access (2007 R2 release) server array. The first test (that is, verifying Domain Name System (DNS)/Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) traffic) helps verify your network connectivity; the second test verifies that your servers are able to bind to Active Directory. This second test requires the use of the program Ldp.exe. Note that the instructions for installing Ldp.exe vary, depending on whether your Communicator Web Access server is running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2003.

To verify DNS/LDAP traffic

  1. Log on to the first Communicator Web Access server in the array as a member of the Domain Admins group.

  2. Verify that you can successfully ping your global catalog server by IP address. Use a command similar to the following:

    ping 192.168.1.1

  3. Verify that you receive a successful reply (including the correct DNS name resolution) when you run the ping –a command against the IP address of your global catalog server. Use a command similar to the following:

    ping 192.168.1.1 -a

  4. Verify that you can use Ldp.exe to successfully connect to Active Directory on the global catalog server. Use the following two procedures to install and run Ldp.exe. When you have finished with Ldp.exe, repeat these procedures on the next Communicator Web Access server in the array.

To install Ldp.exe on Windows Server 2008

  1. In Server Manager, click Add Features.

  2. In the Add Features Wizard, on the Select Features page, expand Remote Server Administration Tools and then select Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services Tools. Click Next.

  3. On the Confirm Installation Selections page, click Install.

  4. On the Installation Results page, click Close.

To install Ldp.exe on Windows Server 2003

  1. Insert the Windows Server 2003 CD into your CD-ROM drive.

  2. Click No if you are prompted to reinstall Windows.

  3. On the Welcome screen, click Perform additional tasks, and then click Browse this CD.

  4. In the \Support\Tools folder, double-click Suptools.msi.

  5. On the Confirm Installation Selections page, click Install.

  6. On the Installation Results page, click Close.

To connect to Active Directory by using Ldp.exe

  1. Click Start and then click Run. In the Run dialog box, type ldp and then click OK.

  2. In Ldp.exe, click Connection and then click Connect.

  3. In the Connect dialog box, in the Server box, type the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of your global catalog server (for example, gcserver.contoso.com) and then click OK.

  4. Click Connection and then click Bind.

  5. In the Bind dialog box, select Bind as currently logged on user and then click OK.

  6. Click View and then click Tree.

  7. In the Tree View dialog box, click OK.

  8. Verify that your Active Directory containers appear in the left pane of the Ldp.exe window.