How do I make secondary DNS server primary?

[shadowfax1066]

Hi, how do I make our secondary DNS the primary DNS? We have 2 DNS severs, one primary and one secondary, will the secondary server still reolve names if the primary DNS server goes down? And if it stays down can the secondary sever be the primary server?

Regards

Andy

 

[ChicagoTechNet]

That should. However, you may want to convert a primary DNS server to an Active Directory Integrated Primary server. quoted from

http://www.chicagotech.net

Primary or Active Directory Integrated DNS

With Active Directory Integrated DNS, this permits all servers to accept updates. Instead of adding standard secondary DNS servers, you can convert the server from a primary DNS server to an Active Directory Integrated Primary server and configure another domain controller to be a DNS server. With Active Directory Integrated DNS servers, all the servers are primary servers, so when a zone change is made at one server, it is replicated to the others, eliminating the need for a zone transfer.


Robert Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Windows, Network, Internet, VPN, Routing and How to at

http://www.ms-mvps.com

 

[shadowfax1066]

Well I set up the DNS on the new DC in the migration process, it says it is AD integrated which is good, the second DC I setup as a secondary server, it also says it's AD integrated, so is this all ok? Also I haven't setup any reverse lookup zones, do I need to as everything works ok?

Regards

Andy

 

[ilpadrino]

chicago, your comment,

"all the servers are primary servers, so when a zone change is made at one server, it is replicated to the others"

is not true in my scenario, and in fact, i'm interested in the possiblity of changing back to standard primary and secondary to give my those transfers. right now i have to manually type in all the server records that affect AD functionality.

in my situation, i have 2 domains in a forest. the dns of one domain does not pick up server records from the first domain. (and by first, i mean the first domain in the forest). but they're not child/parent domains.

any suggestions?

 

[FaiTHLeSS]

Check that the servers allow for zone tranfers to the IP of your secondary server.

 

[Shekinah]

Ilpadrino,

I take it since you said these two domains are not parent/child, that they are two seperate trees but truly in the same forest.

You can check the following:

1) Make sure you have a global catalog server(GC) in each domain. This should be the first DC configured in each domain by default, but check anyway. You can do this through the Administrative tool AD Sites and services. Go to Sites, Default-first-site (or the site that your server is configured in), servers folder, YOUR SERVER. You should see NTDS in the right pane. RtClick NTDS and go to properties. There is a checkbox there for GC. Make sure this is enabled on at least on DC in each domain.

2)You do need to configure which servers you want zone transfers to happen between. Go through Admin Tools again and open the DNS snap in. (remember to do this on BOTH DNS servers) Navigate to your forward lookup zone RtClick the zone and go to properties. You will find a zone transfer tab and a name servers tab - both pretty self explanitory.

If you can go with AD Integrated it not only is easier with the Admin of the zone transfers, but the transfers are supposedly encrypted. It is also an incremental transfer of only the changes, so if bandwidth is an issue it is certainly the way to go.

Hope this helps,

 

[ilpadrino]

1) yes, each domain has a GC, the second only allowed me to specify the GC once I manually entered the SRV records in the DNS for the first domain.

2)each DNS server has an AD-integrated forward lookup zone for both domains. each DNS server has the section on zone transfers configured to "allow zone transfers only to servers listed in the nameservers tab" and both DNS servers are listed on the nameservers tab.

It would seem the configuration is correct, but the DNS servers still do not replicate completely. The second domain DNS replicates its SRV records to the first domain DNS, but the second domain DNS does not receive the SRV records about the first domain. Again, each DNS server is set as forward lookup zones for 2 domains.

By SRV records, I'm referring to the _msdcs, _sites, _tcp, and _udp.