Partial zone?

[Peter Lecki]

I'm not sure how to easily explain what I'm trying to do, so this
might be a bit convoluted...

Is there a way to configure somewhat of a "partial" zone where I would
set up a few A records, but all others would be referred to another
forward lookup server? For example, if we're talking about
"domain.com" and I want to have A records for "host1" and "host2" at
domain.com, so that my internal clients resolve it to whatever I
specify, but all other queries which I don't have entries for would be
referred to the forwarding server, including the "root" of domain.com.

Does this make sense?

Thanks,
Peter.

 

[SIME via WinServerKB.com]

Hi

AFAIK this is not possible because if you have a domain.com zone, your DNS
becomes authoraitve for said zone, therefore by definition it will not
forward any queries for *.domain.com as it believes it knows everything about
that zone

What exactly are you trying to achieve here because there may be a better (
and possible!!) way

Regards
SimonMCDST MCP A+

 

[Herb Martin]

I'm not sure how to easily explain what I'm trying to do, so this
might be a bit convoluted...

Is there a way to configure somewhat of a "partial" zone where I would
set up a few A records, but all others would be referred to another
forward lookup server? For example, if we're talking about
"domain.com" and I want to have A records for "host1" and "host2" at
domain.com, so that my internal clients resolve it to whatever I
specify, but all other queries which I don't have entries for would be
referred to the forwarding server, including the "root" of domain.com.

Yes, but the trick is not obvious and it doesn't really LOOK like
what you ask (partial zone).

Here's the trick:

Set up a "ZONE" of its own for every such host/server record.
Set the A record for the "ZONE" with no additional name to the
address required.

Example:

host1.domain.com becomes a zone
Blank A-record for zone name ("same as parent") is created

Now your server is authoritative for "just that zone" with
the exact server name.

Notice the analogy to setting up a Web server DNS record so that it
not only resolves as www.example.com but also as example.com.
(Zones can have their own Address.)

Does this make sense?

If my answer does <grin>

 

[Peter Lecki]

It's for internal testing. I have a domain.com where services are
provided to the public, but for internal development testing purposes,
we have things like server1.domain.com that need to resolve to an
internal IP instead of the real IP, like it would once the service
goes live. So I have all these subdomains now that are all entered as
separate zones with just a single A record per zone. I'm really only
trying to clean it up, functionally it works the way I have it, but
I'm a stickler for clarity and was trying to consolidate all these
20-some zones into just one with multiple A records.

Thanks,
Peter.

 

[SIME via WinServerKB.com]

Herb

I actually thought of that but if you have a lot of host you want to resolve
its gonna be a pain, however i am glad my thinking wasnt flawed

it just seemed a bit of a clmsy way of doing it but like you say its gonna be
the only possibl way

i am glad you posted that cus now i at least know i understand the subject

regards

simon

I'm not sure how to easily explain what I'm trying to do, so this
might be a bit convoluted...

[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]

specify, but all other queries which I don't have entries for would be
referred to the forwarding server, including the "root" of domain.com.

Yes, but the trick is not obvious and it doesn't really LOOK like
what you ask (partial zone).

Here's the trick:

Set up a "ZONE" of its own for every such host/server record.
Set the A record for the "ZONE" with no additional name to the
address required.

Example:

host1.domain.com becomes a zone
Blank A-record for zone name ("same as parent") is created

Now your server is authoritative for "just that zone" with
the exact server name.

Notice the analogy to setting up a Web server DNS record so that it
not only resolves as www.example.com but also as example.com.
(Zones can have their own Address.)

Does this make sense?

Thanks,
Peter.

 

[Herb Martin]

Herb

I actually thought of that but if you have a lot of host you want to
resolve
its gonna be a pain, however i am glad my thinking wasnt flawed

He said "a few" which I took to be 2-5.

If you have a hundred it isn't much harder though since you can
write a fairly trivial script to use DNSCmd.exe to create the
zones and records.

it just seemed a bit of a clmsy way of doing it but like you say its gonna
be
the only possibl way

Correct. It has the advantage of working and not much else.

It's ugly, but it works.

i am glad you posted that cus now i at least know i understand the subject

Cool!

Glad to help.

--
Herb Martin, MCSE, MVP
Accelerated MCSE
http://www.LearnQuick.Com
[phone number on web site]

regards

simon

I'm not sure how to easily explain what I'm trying to do, so this
might be a bit convoluted...

[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]

specify, but all other queries which I don't have entries for would be
referred to the forwarding server, including the "root" of domain.com.

Yes, but the trick is not obvious and it doesn't really LOOK like
what you ask (partial zone).

Here's the trick:

Set up a "ZONE" of its own for every such host/server record.
Set the A record for the "ZONE" with no additional name to the
address required.

Example:

host1.domain.com becomes a zone
Blank A-record for zone name ("same as parent") is created

Now your server is authoritative for "just that zone" with
the exact server name.

Notice the analogy to setting up a Web server DNS record so that it
not only resolves as www.example.com but also as example.com.
(Zones can have their own Address.)

Does this make sense?

Thanks,
Peter.

 

[Peter Lecki]

Thanks Gents, I guess I'm sticking with this solution after all.

 

[Ace Fekay [MVP]]

In

I'm not sure how to easily explain what I'm trying to do, so this
might be a bit convoluted...

Is there a way to configure somewhat of a "partial" zone where I would
set up a few A records, but all others would be referred to another
forward lookup server? For example, if we're talking about
"domain.com" and I want to have A records for "host1" and "host2" at
domain.com, so that my internal clients resolve it to whatever I
specify, but all other queries which I don't have entries for would be
referred to the forwarding server, including the "root" of domain.com.

Does this make sense?

Thanks,
Peter.

What is your scenario? Are you saying your internal domain name is the same
as the external domain name (Split-zone)?

Keep in mind, if a server is hosting a zone called 'domain.com', it will
NOT forward out queries for domain.com because the zone exists on it. If you
are attempting a split-zone config, from what I am *assuming*, then in your
internal zone, create the required records for the external resources and
provide their actual public IPs that are being hosted by your ISP's or
whatever external DNS servers are hosting your public domain. And if this is
the case, do not alter the (same as parent) record, since that is an AD
specific record. Tell your users to always use the www prefix to access the
external website. There's a way around this and can address it if you are
interested.

--
Ace

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Ace Fekay, MCSE 2003 & 2000, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSE+I, MCT, MVP
Microsoft MVP - Directory Services
Microsoft Certified Trainer
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