DNS issue ?

[stryker333]

I realized when I restart my single Windows 2003 Server, all the clients lose connection to the internet immediately.

I use Cable Modem w/ a Firewall.

Is there a way to set things up so that clients can still retain the DNS to surf the internet while the server is down for repairs?

-Randy

 

[TheDonMiguel]

Yes, you can add your firewall as the second DNS server. So, if the Server is down the clients will use the second entry and the internet will still work!

rgrds
TDM

 

[mlichstein]

Is your server a domain controller? In other words, are the clients members of an AD domain?

If they are, adding the router as a secondary DNS server on the clients is a very Bad Idea. When the server goes down, the clients will fail over to the router for DNS. Great for getting to the Internet, bad for resolving Active Directory names.

The clients will continue to use that secondary DNS server until it does not respond (like if the router were rebooted), or if the clients are rebooted. This will affect group policy, logons, pretty much everything on Active Directory.

A better idea is to have a second domain controller that is also a DNS server.

 

[stryker333]

Thanks for the tips.

Investing in a second server will not be viable at this point.

The DNS / Active Directory problem does sound problematic.

Any other ideas on how I can configure the redundancy to continue web surfing with just one server ?

- Randy

 

[mlichstein]

The only alternative that will work is a second machine. You *have* to have a machine that hosts the zone records for your AD, including the very important SRV records.

You could set up a secondary zone, but this is still going to require a second machine.

A second machine doesn't have to be a server class machine. It could be a workstation with server installed on it, since it will not require many resources.