Hi

I've always fumbled my way through DNS (perhaps more specifically concerning
DNS configuration in the Windows NT family), and got things to work without
fully understanding it! I've been getting annoying messages on one of my
machines at work and so have reluctantly been revisiting the network
configuration.

Rather than detailing the specific problem, it would be useful if someone
could clarify DNS configuration on a general setup scenario. So, here's the
scenario:

Server machine name: WEBSRV1
Windows 2000 domain: EXTERNAL
DNS entry for server: www.mywebserver.ac.uk

It's much easier to show you an image of what I'm referring to, so please
see the Advanced TCP/IP and System Network Identification configs for that
machine here:

http://www.creationfactor.net/image1.jpg

The things I don't understand in this scenario are:

SYSTEM PROPERTIES | IDENTIFICATION

1) What exactly is the primary DNS suffix for this computer? The only DNS
entry is www.mywebserver.ac.uk but if I entered "mywebserver.ac.uk" as the
primary suffix then the Identification panel would show
"websrv1.mywebserver.ac.uk" which doesn't exist.

2) If mywebserver.ac.uk isn't the primary DNS suffix, then shoudl there be
one or is it perfectly normal to leave that field blank?

ADVANCED TCP/IP SETTINGS

1) There are only 2 options, "append primary and connection specific DNS
suffixes" and "append these DNS suffixes", but neither apply in this case as
there are no DNS suffixes for websrv1, so again is it normal to have ought
there?

2) I know the definition of FQDN. It mentions "For resolution of unqualified
names". What is the difference between qualified and unqualified domain
names? Is it something to do with names that are registered on the WWW as a
whole and "internal" DNS names where say "rl.ac.uk" might be the top level
domain available to the world, but "mybastardpc.rl.ac.uk" only works
internally within the organisation?

3) What's "DNS suffix for this connection" all about?

4) The setting "register this connection's addresses in DNS" says about
using the full computer name as defined in system network identification
(which is "websrv1." at present), so presumably if the primary DNS suffix is
left blank this option better be unticked otherwise it'll generate errors?

That's about it.. who know's their stuff then? ;-)

Thanks
Bigus

>
> ADVANCED TCP/IP SETTINGS
>
> 1) There are only 2 options, "append primary and connection specific DNS
> suffixes" and "append these DNS suffixes", but neither apply in this case
> as there are no DNS suffixes for websrv1, so again is it normal to have
> ought there?
>
> 2) I know the definition of FQDN. It mentions "For resolution of
> unqualified names". What is the difference between qualified and
> unqualified domain names? Is it something to do with names that are
> registered on the WWW as a whole and "internal" DNS names where say
> "rl.ac.uk" might be the top level domain available to the world, but
> "mybastardpc.rl.ac.uk" only works internally within the organisation?
>

> Bigus

FQDN means Fully Qualified Domain Name.