forced to turn off our DNS: use hosts files!

[DjPaolo]

Soon we have to turn off our own administered DNS Server because we
must use a central DNS from the main office. Because the desired
standard doesn't allow us to add any entries on the central DNS we are
forced to change the local hosts-files on our workstations (100). Does
anybody know a way to use a central hosts-file?

Paolo

 

[Herb Martin]

Soon we have to turn off our own administered DNS Server because we
must use a central DNS from the main office. Because the desired
standard doesn't allow us to add any entries on the central DNS we are
forced to change the local hosts-files on our workstations (100). Does
anybody know a way to use a central hosts-file?

This isn't a feature of Windows -- you can fake it with
a script (e.g., startup script) if you can get the machine
that far without an update each time.

BUT, if you are using Win2000 domains this is an
impractical solution.

Either they allow you to maintain a secondary and accept
your dynamic updates if you DC is in their zone OR (better)
they delegate to your CHILD ZONE and let you run it for
AD.

Perhaps you should explain your precise Windows Domain
situation and DC placement....

 

[Jeff Cochran]

Soon we have to turn off our own administered DNS Server because we
must use a central DNS from the main office. Because the desired
standard doesn't allow us to add any entries on the central DNS we are
forced to change the local hosts-files on our workstations (100). Does
anybody know a way to use a central hosts-file?

Discuss this with your DNS admin to be sure it's what you need and
they need to do. Centralized hosts files aren't terribly practical,
and realistically you shouldn't be using them.

I would think if this was an AD ebvironemnt you'd be delegated your
child domain, but that's both a decision that may be out of your hands
and dependent on your setup, tree/forest/child arrangement and so on.
Do you have your own DC and control over the child domain?

Or the other side is rethink why you need to update your DNS.

Jeff

 

[DjPaolo]

We have a W2K AD environment and we can administer our own child
domain. The only problem is gonna be the DNS administration because
that's gonna be out of our hands soon (decision is made by superiors
in the main office).

Jeff & Herb, thanks for your support and I've now created a way to
distribute the hosts file to the clients with the login-script.

Paolo

 

[Jeff Westhead [MSFT]]

Good luck - I hope it goes well.

I'm sure you know this already but this is a really, really bad idea.

 

[Herb Martin]

You cannot effecitvely use a Host file in place of DNS to
support AD.

It is NOT possible.