Windows 2000 DNS Server
In a Nutshell - CIW Course Section 3, Part B1, Chapter 1
Installing
The DNS Service can be installed from the "Add/Remove Programs" in the control panel. Click the "Add/Remove Windows Components" to display the Windows Components Wizard. Click "Networking Services" in the Component list to highlight it and click the "Details" button.
This will display the "Networking Services" dialog box. Select the Checkbox against "Domain Name System (DNS)" and click "OK". Click "Next" and continue through the Wizard. This will install the DNS component to make this machine a DNS Server. Now it needs to be configured for the network.
DDNS
DDNS is the Dynamic Domain Name Server. Dynamic DNS can receive updates from clients when the hostname or IP address changes. This requires that the client machine has a DNS client installed. Microsoft Windows has a built-in DDNS Client, however Linux does not.
Configuring DNS
The first time you open the DNS window, you need to click on the server icon. The right-pane will display a description of DNS and a note informing you that you must configure this server. Right-click the server and select "Configure Server" to show the Configure DNS Wizard. The wizard will prompt to create a forward lookup zone, see below.
Creating a DNS Zone
In the DNS window, expand the server node, right-click on the "Forward Lookup Zones" and click "New Zone...". This will display the New Zone Wizard, click "Next". The first option will only be available if this machine is a domain controller, select the Standard primary" and click "Next". Enter the name of the zone eg mydomain.co.uk and click "Next". By default it will create a new zone file with using the zone name with the ".dns" extension. This file will be created in the %systemroot%\system32\dns directory. Click "Next" and the new zone is finished.
Creating DNS Records
The most often used record is a Host or A record. This will be used to locate client machines on the local network, it may also be used to direct traffic out to the Internet.
In the DNS window expand "Forward Lookup Zones" and right-click on the zone name, click "New Host...". Enter the hostname and the associated IP address and you're done!
Note: the entries for www and ftp. These are required if you have an externally hosted web site using the mydomain.co.uk name. Without these entries any user on the local network browsing for www.mydomain.co.uk will not find it, as the browser will be trying to find it on the local network. The DNS entry points it out to the hosting company on the Internet.
Configuring Clients
This assumes the client already has a valid IP address. Right-click "My Computer" and select "Properties", and click the "Network Identification" tab. Click the "Properties" button to display the "Identification Changes" dialog. Click "More" and enter the DNS suffix for the computer, in this case mydomain.co.uk.