DNS: Zone <zone name> update notification list must not be empty

Updated: October 15, 2010

Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012

This topic is intended to address a specific issue identified by a Microsoft Baseline Configuration Analyzer or Best Practices Analyzer scan. You should apply the information in this topic only to computers that have had the DNS Microsoft Baseline Configuration Analyzer or DNS Best Practices Analyzer run against them and are experiencing the issue addressed by this topic. For more information about best practices and scans, see Best Practices Analyzer.

Operating System

Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012

Product/Feature

DNS

Severity

Warning

Category

Configuration

Issue

The list of servers receiving zone update notifications for the zone is empty.

Secondary DNS servers for the zone are not being notified when the zone is updated.

Impact

Secondary servers for the zone will not be notified of changes to zone records.

DNS information in the zone on secondary servers might be out of date.

Resolution

Add secondary servers to the zone update notification list for the zone.

Configure the zone update notification list to include all secondary DNS servers for the zone. By default, all servers listed on the Name Servers tab are notified. You can also choose to specify a list of secondary servers.

Membership in Administrators, or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete these procedures. Review details about using the appropriate accounts and group memberships at Local and Domain Default Groups (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=83477).

To configure the zone update notification list

  1. On the primary DNS server, click Start, click Run, type dnsmgmt.msc, and then press ENTER. The DNS Manager console will open.

  2. In the console tree, right-click the name of the primary zone and then click Properties.

  3. On the Zone Transfers tab, click Notify.

  4. Click the Automatically notify check box, and then choose Servers listed on the Name Servers tab or The following servers. If you chose Servers listed on the Name Servers tab, you do not need to manually configure the zone update notification list.

  5. If you chose The following servers, click under IP address, type the IP address of a secondary DNS server for the zone, and then press ENTER.

  6. Repeat the previous step to add each secondary server to the zone update notification list.

  7. When you have finished, click OK twice to exit.

See Also

Other Resources

Understanding zones and zone transfer