Module 6: DNS

Overview of the Domain Name System Role

Domain Name System is a hierarchical distributed database

• DNS is the foundation of the Internet naming scheme

• DNS supports accessing resources by using

alphanumeric names

• InterNIC is responsible for managing the

domain namespace

• DNS was created to support the Internet’s growing

number of hosts
Overview of the DNS Namespace

Root Domain

Top-Level
Domain net com org

Second-Level
Domain Microsoft

Subdomain
west south east

FQDN: sales Host: SERVER1

SERVER1.sales.south.nwtraders.com
What Are Root Hints?

Root hints contain the IP addresses for DNS root servers

Root (.) Servers

DNS Servers

Root Hints

com
DNS Server

Client microsoft
What Are Recursive Queries?

A recursive query is sent to a DNS server and requires a

complete answer

mail1.contoso.msft

Database
172.16.64.11

DNS Client Local DNS Server

What Are Iterative Queries?

An iterative query directed to a DNS server may be

answered with a referral to another DNS server

Iterative Query Root Hint (.)

Local DNS Server
Ask .com

.com

Nwtraders.com

Client Server
 What Is a DNS Zone?
Internet
“.” DNS root domain

.com
microsoft.com
domain
microsoft.com
www.microsoft.com
microsoft.com zone
ftp.microsoft.com
example.microsoft.com
Zone database

example.microsoft.com
zone

example.microsoft.com
www.example.microsoft.com
Zone database ftp.example.microsoft.com
What Are the DNS Zone Types?

Zones Description

Primary Read/write copy of a DNS database

Secondary Read-only copy of a DNS database

Copy of a zone that contains only

Stub
records used to locate name servers
Active
Zone data is stored in Active
Directory
Directory rather than in zone files
integrated
 What Are Forward and Reverse Lookup Zones?

Namespace: training.nwtraders.msft

DNS Client1 192.168.2.45

DNS Server Authorized Forward
for training Training DNS Client2 192.168.2.46
zone
DNS Client3 192.168.2.47
192.168.2.45 DNS Client1
Reverse 1.168.192.in-
192.168.2.46 DNS Client2
zone addr.arpa
192.168.2.47 DNS Client3

DNS Client2 = ?

192.168.2.46 = ?

DNS Client3

DNS Client1
DNS Client2
DNS Zone Delegation

Contoso.msft

Training.contoso.msft Sales.contoso.msft
 DNS Zone Delegation
Explain how to use DNS zone delegation.

DNS provides the option of dividing up the namespace into one or more zones, which you then can
store, distribute, and replicate to other DNS servers.

Why delegation is used ?

When deciding whether to divide the DNS namespace to make additional zones, consider the
following reasons to use additional zones:

A need to delegate management of part of the DNS namespace to another location or

department within your organization.
A need to divide one large zone into smaller zones for distributing traffic loads among multiple
servers, which improves DNS name-resolution performance and/or create a more fault-
tolerant DNS environment.
A need to extend the namespace by adding numerous subdomains at once to accommodate
the opening of a new branch or site..

References
Microsoft TechNet: Delegating Zones: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=99849&clcid=0x409
Tools That Identify Problems With DNS

Tool Used to:

Nslookup Troubleshoot DNS problems

Dnscmd Edit the DNS configuration

Dnslint Diagnose common DNS issues