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question on dns

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In an active directory environment, does your dns server have to be also a domain controller?

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by sckelley

No, technically any RFC compliant DNS server would do. However, there are some interesting issues (refer to the Windows 2000 DNS Whitepaper)--often the DNS Client Resolver will not query the first server in the DNS list and go directly to subsequent servers. This isn't always even noticeable but, when the other servers are not authoritative in exactly the same domains as the primary, loss of functionality can occur. This behavior is attributed the a "feature" in the way the resolver caches DNS queries. The official work-around is to just disable the DNS Client Resolver Service.

by qb

No it does not have to be a DC but you will not be able to use Dynamic DNS. That only works with AD and then the DNS server would have to be a DC. extra -- in my opion (since I've set it up both way, nonDDNS and then converted to DDNS, I suggest that you go with making it a DC and using DDNS the administration is easier, 2kPro machine will automaticly register themselves in ddns and if you use a 2000 dhcp server it will do the updates for the non 2000 clients that cant do it themselves. Also DDNS doesnot take hardly any system overhead and any domain controler will allready have it installed all you need to do is go to BDC and configure it. And easier yet if you have a 4.0 dns server you can copy all the DNS file with all your entries right into the DNS on the BDC and be done, besides pointing your clients to the right DNS server.

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