DNS vs NETBIOS

[taubate]

As a network administrator-in-training, I need some guidance.

1) What exactly is the difference between DNS and NETBIOS?

2) From what I know, it seems that if DNS was being used, NETBIOS isn't needed. Is this possible?

Thanks much!

 

[zephan]

Hi,

It seems that NetBIOS is the Microsoft Windows names resolver. Microsoft TCP/IP and NetBIOS work narrowly together to provide data transmission (NetBIOS provide names for computers and shared ressources and TCP/IP network applications). So, shortly : NetBIOS is a standard for Microsoft only, and another thing is that you don't need necessary a server to use netbios... you take to PCs on a network without any configuration, they can see each other...

DNS is a standard of TCP/IP (Domain Name Server or service)
it is also used for resolving names to IP adresses, in this cases, the PCs send queries to a server (the DNS server) saying "I have got the name pc.unit.entreprise.com can u tell me his IP adress ?" the Server say "233.22.11.02" something like

another thing : DNS is structured like a tree... so in the former samle .com is the summit of the tree, entreprise is just below this summit...

ok, a complete answer may be somehow long, sorry

 

[tcvander]

Are you sure you not thinking of DNS vs WINS?
Todd VanDerwerken, CCNA, CCDA
Technical Consultant

http://www.ciscolinks.net

 

[taubate]

zephan- Thanks for the reply. It clears the air some.

tcvander - I suppose you can see it as DNS vs WINS. How would you contrast the two?

The context of my questions is whether I even need to bother with WINS and NETBIOS at all.

 

[tcvander]

zephan covered DNS pretty well. WINS is a lot like DNS, but it use's the assigned machine name of the PC for it's resoluation. When you boot up your machine it will register with the WINS server, as oppose to a DNS server which has a static entry for a host. Some network management systems use the machine name for management and software updates.
My opinion, if you don't need them, dont use them. Todd VanDerwerken, CCNA, CCDA
Technical Consultant

http://www.ciscolinks.net

 

[taubate]

tcvander - Thanks for the help!