Zone file transfer

[Jun Soriano]

We currently have a paublic DNS server installed in
windows NT. How can I migrate or move the zone files
from windows NT to windows 2000? Do I really need to in
install Active Directory? What are the implications of
not installing AD and using standard primary instead?

 

[Kevin D. Goodknecht [MVP]]

In

We currently have a paublic DNS server installed in
windows NT. How can I migrate or move the zone files
from windows NT to windows 2000?

You can copy all the zone files from the %systemroot%\system32\dns Directory
and the DNS registry entries, or you can use Dean Wells' dnsdump script
available from here: http://www.reskit.net/scripts/index.htm

Do I really need to in install Active Directory?
No.

What are the implications of not installing AD and using standard primary

instead?

No Exchange 2000 or later, no centralized user database.
But as for as DNS is concerned, if all you need is DNS, Active Directory is
not required and I can't imagine why you would need AD simply for DNS.

 

[Herb Martin]

Kevin gave you an efficient migration strategy for
many zones.

If you only have one or two, you can just make the
new machine a Secondary (temporarily) and do a
zone transfer, then change the type of (each of) the
server(s).

If you have a "public" DNS there is no particular
advantage to having it in AD most of the time -- as
you will likely seldom change these records and
will not wish to enable "dynamic updates."

The advantages of AD integration are largely for
security of dynamic updates and more efficient
zone transfers (multi-mastered etc) in large domains
and with frequent updates.

BTW, if you are talking public DNS then you can
have that on ANY type of machine you wish, that
will run you desired DNS server.