A stand alone server running Windows Server 2003 is actually a DNS server for your network. Here I am going to teach you how to configure DNS for your server. In the first step, you will assign this server a static IP address. DNS servers cannot use dynamically assigned IP addresses ,because a sudden change of the IP address could cause contact with the DNS server to be interrupted.
• Configure TCP/IP
First click Start and highlight Control Panel, then highlight Network Connections, and then click Local Area Connection. Next, click Properties, then click Internet Protocol, then Properties. Now click the General tab, then click Use the following IP address, provide the correct IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway address in the appropriate boxes. Click Advanced, and then click the DNS tab. Click Append primary and connection specific DNS suffixes. Click the Append parent suffixes of the primary DNS suffix check box. Click Register this connection’s addresses in the DNS check box. Finally, Click OK three times.
NOTE: DNS servers running Windows Server 2003 must point to themselves for DNS. If this server needs to resolve names from its Internet service provider, then you must configure a forwarder.
NOTE: If you receive a warning from the DNS Caching Resolver service, click OK to dismiss the warning. The caching resolver is trying to contact the DNS server, but you have not finished configuring the server.
• Install Microsoft DNS Server
First click Start and highlight Control Panel, then click Add or Remove Programs. Next click Add or Remove Windows Components. Under the Components list select Networking Services (don’t clear the check box though). Now click Details. Select the Domain Name System check box, and then click OK. Now click Next and when you are prompted to insert the Windows Server 2003 CD-ROM into the computer’s CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, do so. When you see the Completing the Windows Components Wizard page, click Finish once the Setup is complete. Finally, click Close to close the Add or Remove Programs window.
In order to configure DNS using the DNS snap-in in Microsoft Management Console, follow these steps: Click Start and highlight Programs, then highlight Administrative Tools and click DNS. Right-click Forward lookup zones, and then click New Zone. After the New zone Wizard starts click Next.
When you are prompted for a zone type accept the default name for the new zone file, click Next
NOTE: If you are an experienced DNS administrator then you may want to create a reverse lookup zone, and are encouraged to explore this branch of the wizard. A DNS server can resolve two basic requests: a forward lookup and a reverse lookup. A forward lookup is more common. A forward lookup resolves a host name to an IP address with an “A” or Host Resource record. A reverse lookup resolves an IP address to a host name with a PTR or Pointer Resource record. If you have your reverse DNS zones configured, you can automatically create associated reverse records when you create your original forward record.
• Configuring DNS Behind a Firewall –
The following exceptions may cause conflicts to occur between your firewall and the DNS during configuration:
Proxy and Network Address Translation devices may restrict access to ports. DNS uses UDP port 53 and TCP port 53. The DNS Service Management console also uses RCP. RCP uses port 135.