3 DNS servers - much confusion justmark 10/6/2008 4:52:05 PM I guess I'm looking for a link to a document that can help me straighten out my DNS situation? I've had a multitude of problems with my DNS servers. The original was demoted and removed. The "spare" never worked right. Now I'm trying to get these in order along with another in a remote subnet (same domain). I don't know how to tell which, if any, is the primary. I also don't know how to configure the others to sync with the primary. Lots of stuff to straighten out, but it needs to be done. I've been all through the DNS config options and I think I need, at least for now, a cookbook approach to setting these. Mind you, my domain is operational, but I don't think it's quite right. I've brought up a new DNS server in my remote subnet and am getting lots of NDTS synchronization errors in my Directory Service event viewer. There are lots and lots of diagnostic tools and operations, but I fear that this may be as simple as just knowing what to enter into the DNS configuration? If anybody has a link with simple instructions for bringing up a secondary DNS server, I'd really appreciate that! Thanks!

Re: 3 DNS servers - much confusion "Phillip Windell" <philwindell[ at ]hotmail.com> 10/6/2008 8:28:18 PM "justmark" <justmark[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:476CCE3F-A440-4D8D-B145-34C2E1E0573F[ at ]microsoft.com... [Quoted Text] > There are lots and lots of diagnostic tools and operations, but I fear > that > this may be as simple as just knowing what to enter into the DNS > configuration? If anybody has a link with simple instructions for > bringing > up a secondary DNS server, I'd really appreciate that! I don't know of any list of instructions, but it is just too simple anyway,...you don't "configure" the DNS at all. The Active Directory Wizard configures it for you when you promote a machine to a DC. All you have to do is stay away from it and leave it alone. Remove all the "questionable" DCs by running DCPromo and demoting them to member servers. The DCPromo process will transfer all the "roles" off of the machine during the demotion.. When you get down to the last DC it will have all the Roles. Make sure this last DC is the one in the bunch that is the "dependable one",...do not damage it, do not do anything to mess it up. Now uninstall DNS off of the "questionable" machines,...now reinstall DNS on the machines (just install it,..don't touch it). Now run DCPromo to promote the machines to being DCs,...the DNS will be configured in the background automatically. Leave it be. When finished, change the TCP/IP specs of each machine so that it points to itself first for DNS and the other DCs after that (the order of those is not important). Subnets are completely irrelevant,..there is no relationship at all if it is all the same LAN. Any LAN with more that 254 hosts is going to have more than one subnet..it is a "given" if the Admins knows what he is doing. So having multiple IP Segments is not relevant at all the "domain". -- Phillip Windell www.wandtv.com The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft, or anyone else associated with me, including my cats. -----------------------------------------------------

Re: 3 DNS servers - much confusion "beoweolf" <beoweolf[ at ]pacbell.net> 10/7/2008 6:47:37 PM Although all the versions of Microsoft DDNS are very similar (W2K, W2K3 and W2K8) there are enough differences in configuration that you need to detail a little more information than you so far have offered. Are you currently running AD integrated DNS or running Primary/secondary? You can find the current FSMO role holder, which should be the first DC (PDC emulator) The simplest way I know is to use NTDSutil: 1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd in the Open box, and then press ENTER. 2. Type ntdsutil, and then press ENTER. 3. Type domain management, and then press ENTER. 4. Type connections, and then press ENTER. 5. Type connect to server ServerName, where ServerName is the Name of the Domain Controller you would like to view, and then press ENTER. 6. Type quit, and then press ENTER. 7. Type select operation target, and then press ENTER. 8. Type list roles for connected server, and then press ENTER. "justmark" <justmark[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:476CCE3F-A440-4D8D-B145-34C2E1E0573F[ at ]microsoft.com... [Quoted Text] >I guess I'm looking for a link to a document that can help me straighten >out > my DNS situation? > > I've had a multitude of problems with my DNS servers. The original was > demoted and removed. The "spare" never worked right. Now I'm trying to > get > these in order along with another in a remote subnet (same domain). I > don't > know how to tell which, if any, is the primary. I also don't know how to > configure the others to sync with the primary. > > Lots of stuff to straighten out, but it needs to be done. I've been all > through the DNS config options and I think I need, at least for now, a > cookbook approach to setting these. Mind you, my domain is operational, > but > I don't think it's quite right. I've brought up a new DNS server in my > remote subnet and am getting lots of NDTS synchronization errors in my > Directory Service event viewer. > > There are lots and lots of diagnostic tools and operations, but I fear > that > this may be as simple as just knowing what to enter into the DNS > configuration? If anybody has a link with simple instructions for > bringing > up a secondary DNS server, I'd really appreciate that! > > Thanks!

Re: 3 DNS servers - much confusion "Jorge Silva" <jorgesilva_pt[ at ]hotmail.com> 10/7/2008 7:57:52 PM Hi First you need to know how DNS works, after that everything is more clear. DNS is simple you just need to understand how resolution works and how multiple DNS help clients to get what they need, there is plenty docs in web that explain how DNS work, do a search for that. After you understand How DNS works, go to AD and see what AD offers you with DNS Integration. In AD you have the option on DCs to make DNS Active Directory Integrated (DNSAI), this allows extra configurations on DNS console, more security, and replication control. DNSAI makes your life easier, but that doesn't mean that is your current scenario, and that doesn't mean that you DON'T NEED to understand how things work. Also check this links: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=291382 http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=825036 http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=316341 http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=300202 -- I hope that the information above helps you. Have a Nice day. Jorge Silva MCSE, MVP Directory Services Please no e-mails, any questions should be posted in the NewsGroup This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. "justmark" <justmark[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:476CCE3F-A440-4D8D-B145-34C2E1E0573F[ at ]microsoft.com... [Quoted Text] >I guess I'm looking for a link to a document that can help me straighten >out > my DNS situation? > > I've had a multitude of problems with my DNS servers. The original was > demoted and removed. The "spare" never worked right. Now I'm trying to > get > these in order along with another in a remote subnet (same domain). I > don't > know how to tell which, if any, is the primary. I also don't know how to > configure the others to sync with the primary. > > Lots of stuff to straighten out, but it needs to be done. I've been all > through the DNS config options and I think I need, at least for now, a > cookbook approach to setting these. Mind you, my domain is operational, > but > I don't think it's quite right. I've brought up a new DNS server in my > remote subnet and am getting lots of NDTS synchronization errors in my > Directory Service event viewer. > > There are lots and lots of diagnostic tools and operations, but I fear > that > this may be as simple as just knowing what to enter into the DNS > configuration? If anybody has a link with simple instructions for > bringing > up a secondary DNS server, I'd really appreciate that! > > Thanks!

Re: 3 DNS servers - much confusion oz.ozugurlu 10/7/2008 8:34:12 PM take a look at this to see if this remedies to some of your concers, on the bottom there are 22 more links for DNS relates issues and best practices DNS and Active Directory best practices. http://msmvps.com/blogs/systmprog/archive/2006/10/31/DNS-and-Active-Directory-best-practices_2E00_.aspx oz -- Oz Ozugurlu MVP (Exchange) MCITP (EMA), MCITP (SA) MCSE 2003, M+, S+, MCDST Security+, Project +, Server + oz[ at ]SMTp25.org http://smtp25.blogspot.com (Blog) "Jorge Silva" wrote: [Quoted Text] > Hi > First you need to know how DNS works, after that everything is more clear. > DNS is simple you just need to understand how resolution works and how > multiple DNS help clients to get what they need, there is plenty docs in web > that explain how DNS work, do a search for that. After you understand How > DNS works, go to AD and see what AD offers you with DNS Integration. In AD > you have the option on DCs to make DNS Active Directory Integrated (DNSAI), > this allows extra configurations on DNS console, more security, and > replication control. DNSAI makes your life easier, but that doesn't mean > that is your current scenario, and that doesn't mean that you DON'T NEED to > understand how things work. Also check this links: > > http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=291382 > http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=825036 > http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=316341 > http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=300202 > > -- > I hope that the information above helps you. > Have a Nice day. > > Jorge Silva > MCSE, MVP Directory Services > > Please no e-mails, any questions should be posted in the NewsGroup > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. > > > "justmark" <justmark[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message > news:476CCE3F-A440-4D8D-B145-34C2E1E0573F[ at ]microsoft.com... > >I guess I'm looking for a link to a document that can help me straighten > >out > > my DNS situation? > > > > I've had a multitude of problems with my DNS servers. The original was > > demoted and removed. The "spare" never worked right. Now I'm trying to > > get > > these in order along with another in a remote subnet (same domain). I > > don't > > know how to tell which, if any, is the primary. I also don't know how to > > configure the others to sync with the primary. > > > > Lots of stuff to straighten out, but it needs to be done. I've been all > > through the DNS config options and I think I need, at least for now, a > > cookbook approach to setting these. Mind you, my domain is operational, > > but > > I don't think it's quite right. I've brought up a new DNS server in my > > remote subnet and am getting lots of NDTS synchronization errors in my > > Directory Service event viewer. > > > > There are lots and lots of diagnostic tools and operations, but I fear > > that > > this may be as simple as just knowing what to enter into the DNS > > configuration? If anybody has a link with simple instructions for > > bringing > > up a secondary DNS server, I'd really appreciate that! > > > > Thanks! >