Frequently Asked Question

How to configure DNS in Windows 2003 Server ?

The configuration of DNS in Windows 2003 server.Before starting the DNS configuration in Windows 2003 server, you should collect some basic information like

• Your domain name, which should be approved.

• You must have the IP address and the host name of each server, which you desire to give name resolution for. Now these servers may be your public access servers, mail servers, FTP servers etc.

Check the following conditions before configuring your computer as a DNS.

1. Make sure that your operating system is configured correctly. DNS setting depends on the correctly configured operating system and its services like TCP/IP in Windows Server 2003. If you have a fresh installation of Window 2003 server then it is recommended to use the default settings.

2. Make sure that all the available disk space has been allocated.

3. Make sure that all your disk drives are using NTFS file system because FAT volumes do not support file and folder compression, encryption, quotas etc

DNS Configuration

1. Click “start” then point to “all programs” then “administrative tools” and then click the “configure your server wizard” to start the “configure your server” wizard.

2. Now click the “DNS server” on the “Server Role” page and then click “Next”.

3. See the options, which you have chosen and confirmed them on the “Summary of Selections” page.

4. Install the DNS and run the “Configure a DNS” wizard for DNS configurations. Click “next” if the summary of selection” page lists these two items. Click “back” to move to “Server Role” page, if the “summary of selections” page did not list these two items.

5. “Configure your server” wizard first determines the IP address for this server to find whether it is static or is configured automatically, when it installs the DNS service. The “Configuration Components” page of windows components Wizard prompt will prompt you to configure the server using static IP address if you are using automatic IP addressing. In order to do this

• Click the “internet protocol” then click “properties” in the “Local Area Connection Properties”.

• Now click the “Use the following IP address” in the “internet protocols properties” dialog box.

• Type the IP address of this server in “Preferred DNS”.

• Now type the IP address of another internal DNS server in “Alternate DNS”. You may leave it blank.

• Click “OK” when you have finished setting up the static addresses for your DNS then click “close”.

. After clicking “close”, DNS server wizard will be started. Now follow these steps

• Choose the “create a forward lookup zone” from “select Configuration Action” page.

• Click “this server maintains the zone” and then click “next”

• Specify the name of the DNS zone for your network on the “zone name” page and in “zone name” then click “next”.

• Now click the “allow both non secure and secure dynamic updates” on the “forwarders” page and click “next”.

• Click "back” if you want to change any setting