Backup DNS server ???

[Aaron Humperdoonkerdink]

Hi,

At the moment we have one DNS server for our w2k domain.

If the DNS server goes down it stops our domain from functioning normally.
Please can you tell me how I would go about building a backup DNS server so
if the other went down it would not stop or network from going down? I
would like the two servers to have the same records if possible.

I thought I would build a secondary DNS server using the wizard but it says
it can't as one already exists for that zone.

Many thanks.

We have a Windows 2000 domain running in mixed mode with 3 ADC, 2 are GC's.
1 DHCP server.

 

[Kevin D. Goodknecht]

In

Hi,

At the moment we have one DNS server for our w2k domain.

If the DNS server goes down it stops our domain from functioning
normally. Please can you tell me how I would go about building a
backup DNS server so if the other went down it would not stop or
network from going down? I would like the two servers to have the
same records if possible.

I thought I would build a secondary DNS server using the wizard but
it says it can't as one already exists for that zone.

You don't need or want a secondary of the AD zone on a DC that belongs to
that domain AD will handle the replication of zone data without the need for
zone transfers.

Many thanks.

We have a Windows 2000 domain running in mixed mode with 3 ADC, 2 are
GC's. 1 DHCP server.

Simple, just install DNS on all your DCs the AD zone should automatically be
replicated to them when you install DNS. If not, create the zone as ADI, not
secondary. The best way to set the DCs TCP/IP properties is all DCs should
point to the DC1 for primary then for secondary point DC2 to DC3 and DC3 to
DC2; DC1 can point to either of the others this will keep them from logging
errors at Startup.
Point all clients to any two or three if you want.

 

[Aaron Humperdoonkerdink]

In
You don't need or want a secondary of the AD zone on a DC that belongs to
that domain AD will handle the replication of zone data without the need for
zone transfers.


Simple, just install DNS on all your DCs the AD zone should automatically be
replicated to them when you install DNS. If not, create the zone as ADI, not
secondary. The best way to set the DCs TCP/IP properties is all DCs should
point to the DC1 for primary then for secondary point DC2 to DC3 and DC3 to
DC2; DC1 can point to either of the others this will keep them from logging
errors at Startup.
Point all clients to any two or three if you want.

Than you for your help. I have created another secondary DNS server and it
has pulled all the DNS information from the master. I am going to make
another secondary on the other DC on another site. What would be the
correct procedure now if the master DNS server went down? Thanks again.

 

[Kevin D. Goodknecht]

In

Than you for your help. I have created another secondary DNS server
and it has pulled all the DNS information from the master. I am
going to make another secondary on the other DC on another site.
What would be the correct procedure now if the master DNS server went
down? Thanks again.

If you are going top make the other a DC for the same domain, just at
another site make its zone AD integrated and all zone data will be
replicated through AD. In essence, it will be another primary master, this
would be your best choice as this was how Win2k domains are mean to be.
Which ever DC has the newest data on it basically becomes the master and
replicates it to all other DCs. Unlike NT4 which only has one master DC and
all others are read only, Win2k DCs are all writable. If you add a machine
to one location, it will have an account at both, if it registers in DNS at
one, it will show up in the other. Kinda neat, huh?
Having a DC at all locations in the same domain is a good thing, if one goes
down as long as the link is up nobody is affected, if the link goes down, as
long as there is a DC at all locations, nobody knows.