DNS server updates in win 2000 pro

  • Thread starter Thread starter James Cronin
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J

James Cronin

Hi

I am running a lan of windows 2000 based clients, and have just installed a
second DNS server so that if the primary one goes down then the second one
takes over. Both servers are also the server for the internal intranet, and
the backup server has a message on the homepage for the intranet stating
that the user is accessing the backup system. Each machines dns server
resolves the www.*******.net to be its own ip address so if you ask the
backup server for www then you get the backup www server. Both DNS servers
are running Unix with apache and named
In windows I have it setup to use the two dns servers with the primary one
at the top of the list, and everything works fine if I unplug the primary
one from the server switch. I had to change the DNS cache time in te
registry to stop it caching the dns names (ive set it to 1 second with is
the miniums (as art Q245437)
The problem I am having is when I plug back in the primary server windows
continues using the backup, as I am presuming it thinks the primary one is
down. If I reboot, or disable the lan connection and then re-enable it it
goes back to the primary one.
Is there a way of making windows keep checking the primary one to see if it
is running, or at least reduce the time before it trys the primary one
again, as obviously if it had to send two dns queries and wait for a
non-functioning server to time out, dns look-up would take a very long time.

James
 
In
James Cronin said:
Hi

I am running a lan of windows 2000 based clients, and have just
installed a second DNS server so that if the primary one goes down
then the second one takes over. Both servers are also the server for
the internal intranet, and the backup server has a message on the
homepage for the intranet stating that the user is accessing the
backup system. Each machines dns server resolves the www.*******.net
to be its own ip address so if you ask the backup server for www then
you get the backup www server. Both DNS servers are running Unix with
apache and named
In windows I have it setup to use the two dns servers with the
primary one at the top of the list, and everything works fine if I
unplug the primary one from the server switch. I had to change the
DNS cache time in te registry to stop it caching the dns names (ive
set it to 1 second with is the miniums (as art Q245437)
The problem I am having is when I plug back in the primary server
windows continues using the backup, as I am presuming it thinks the
primary one is down. If I reboot, or disable the lan connection and
then re-enable it it goes back to the primary one.
Is there a way of making windows keep checking the primary one to see
if it is running, or at least reduce the time before it trys the
primary one again, as obviously if it had to send two dns queries and
wait for a non-functioning server to time out, dns look-up would take
a very long time.

James
Click to expand...


There's a reg entry to force it to reavaluate the DNS list in IP properties
again, because normally it just looks at the first entry and if it's down or
doesn't respond, it moves to the next entry but it removes the first entry
out of the "eligible resolvers list" and won't go back to it, unless you
restart the machine or restart the DNS client service.

286834 - The DNS Client Service Does Not Revert to Using the First Server in
the List [explained in the DNS white papers as well]:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;286834



--
Regards,
Ace

Please direct all replies to the newsgroup so all can benefit.
This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties and confers no
rights.

Ace Fekay, MCSE 2000, MCSE+I, MCSA, MCT, MVP
Microsoft Windows MVP - Active Directory
 
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