AD but no DNS?!

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Hi. I visited a site this week where they have two Windows 2000 servers (no
others), with Active Directory. However, neither server is running DNS and
there is no other DNS Server on the LAN!

I don't know how they got into this state - before my time. But the client
PC's (Windows XP Pro and Windows 2000) cannot browse AD, and take several
minutes to login with domain user accounts. However, they do log in
eventually and can map drives etc to the servers. Allbeit rather unstable -
loose connection etc.

Any idea how they got into this state? I didnt think AD would allow this to
happen.

And any correct way to rectify it?

Thank you....
 
They might have had another server hosting DNS at the time
.. Why don't you simply create a DNS server on either one
of the Windows servers or on a seperate server ?
 
I expect that AD complained about it at DCpromo stage :-)

If I remember rightly though during the dcpromo it will flag that DNS is not
configured and give the option to install now or sort it out later.... if
they chose this when promo'ing the first DC it would complete...... i am not
sure how they promoted the second DC though without DNS, I would be
supprised if these DC's are replicating at all. Have they had DNS and
removed it since?

In recovering this, if the DC's have not replicated for more that 60 days
you will need to choose which DC you want to keep and ditch the AD on the
other, you do not want these to replicate as the tombstone period has passed
and if they do replicate you are likly to see reanimated objects issues,
phantom objects etc.

If they have replicated within 60 days then install DNS and set up a zone
etc..... hopefully once the records are registered the KCC will create the
relevant objects and they will begin replicating.

Cheers

Jody
 
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