New features for WINS

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 8 Beta

New features for WINS

Microsoft® Windows Server 2003 Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) provides the following new features:

  • Advanced WINS database search and filtering capabilities

    Improved filtering and new search functions help you locate records by showing only those records that fit the criteria you specify. These functions are particularly useful in analyzing very large WINS databases. You can use multiple criteria to perform advanced searches for WINS database records. This improved filtering capability allows you to combine filters for customized and precise query results. Available filters include: record owner, record type, NetBIOS name, and IP address with or without subnet mask.

    Because you can now store query results in the cache of the random access memory (RAM) on your local computer, the performance of subsequent queries is increased, and network traffic is reduced. For more information, see Finding and viewing WINS records and View WINS Records.

  • Accepting replication partners

    When determining a replication strategy for your organization, you can define a list that controls the source of incoming name records during pull replication between Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) servers.

    In addition to blocking name records from specific replication partners, you can also choose to accept only name records owned by specific WINS servers during replication, excluding the name records of all servers that are not on the list. For more information, see Accepting replication partners and Accept replication of records owned by a specified server.

The following features were new for Windows 2000 Server and are also provided with the Windows Server 2003 family:

  • Command-line administration of WINS servers using Netsh

    In addition to a full graphical user interface for managing WINS servers, the Windows Server 2003 family provides a fully equivalent WINS command-line based tool called Netsh. For more information, see Managing WINS from the command line. For a comprehensive netsh WINS command reference (including syntax, examples, and parameters) see Netsh commands for WINS. For an example of how to use Netsh WINS commands in batch files and scripts, see Netsh WINS example.

  • Persistent connections

    You can now configure each WINS server to maintain a persistent connection with one or more replication partners. This increases the speed of replication and eliminates the overhead of opening and terminating connections. For more information, see Persistent connections.

  • Manual tombstoning

    You can manually mark a record for eventual deletion (tombstoning). The tombstone state of the record replicates to other WINS servers, preventing any replicated copies of the deleted records from reappearing at the same server where they were originally deleted. For more information, see Deleting and tombstoning records.

  • Improved management utility

    The WINS console is fully integrated with the Microsoft Management Console (MMC), a powerful and user-friendly environment you can customize for your efficiency. Because all server administrative utilities included for use in the Windows Server 2003 family are part of MMC, new MMC-based utilities are easier to use as they operate more predictably and follow a common design.

  • Improved ease of use for both using and managing advanced WINS features

    WINS now includes the ability to block records by a specific owner or WINS replication partner (formerly known as Persona Non Grata), and to use the feature Overwrite unique static mappings at this server (formerly known as migrate on). For more information, see either Blocking replication partners or Using static mappings.

  • Dynamic record deletion and multi-select

    These features help you more easily manage the WINS database. With the WINS snap-in, you can simply point, click, and delete either one or more WINS static or dynamic-type entries. Previously, this functionality was only available when using command-based utilities, such as Winscl.exe, designed for earlier versions of WINS. It is also possible now to delete records that use names based on non-alphanumeric characters.

  • Record verification and version number validation

    These features quickly check the consistency of names stored and replicated on your WINS servers. Record verification compares the IP addresses returned by a NetBIOS name query of different WINS servers. Version number validation examines the owner address-to-version number mapping tables. For more information, see Checking the WINS database for consistency.

  • Export function

    When you export, you place WINS data in a comma-delimited text file. You can export this file to Microsoft Excel, reporting tools, scripting programs, or similar programs for analysis and reporting. For more information, see Export WINS console data to a text file.

  • Increased fault tolerance for clients

    Clients running Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows XP, or a Windows Server 2003 operating system can specify more than two WINS servers (up to a maximum of 12 addresses) per interface, using the first two servers in the list for NetBIOS name registration. The extra WINS server addresses are used only if the primary and secondary WINS servers fail to respond. WINS clients also benefit from the use of burst handling, which is enabled by default. For more information, see Burst handling and "Primary/Secondary WINS servers" in WINS servers.

  • Dynamic re-insertion of client names

    WINS clients no longer have to be restarted after they use WINS to force re-insertion and update of local NetBIOS names. The Nbstat command includes a new option, -RR, which provides this functionality. If WINS clients are running Windows NT® 4.0, updated to Service Pack 4 or later, the -RR option can also be used with those clients. For more information, see Verify WINS registration of client NetBIOS names.

  • Read-only console access to the WINS console.

    This feature provides a special purpose local users' group, the WINS Users group, which is automatically added when WINS is installed. By adding members to this group, you can provide read-only access in the WINS console to WINS-related information on this server computer for users that are not administrators. You can allow a user in this group to view, but not modify, information and properties stored at a specific WINS server. For more information, see Default groups.

  • Improved database engine.

    WINS uses the same performance-enhanced database engine technology that is also used in Active Directory®.