As a core component of a DNS Server, a DNS Zone creates and stores DNS resource records. That means the DNS zones store all the resource records of a DNS namespace in themselves, and according to those records, the DNS Server resolves names to IP addresses upon the DNS queries by clients. The DNS Servers manage the DNS zones. It is the very fundamental configuration we must accomplish right after installing the DNS Service. Hence, this article covers how to create and configure a DNS Zone in Windows Server 2022 step-by-step. Before that, we need a comprehensive understanding of the DNS Zone types and their functions. That’s why we will first cover a brief overview of the DNS zone types and their functions. Then, we will create and configure DNS zones of all types in a separate section.

You may also like to read: Install DNS In Server 2022 Using Server Manager And Powershell.

Forward Lookup Zone and Reverse Lookup Zone

Broadly classifying, there are two types of zones available in a DNS Server. The first one is the Forward Lookup Zone which resolves names and, sometimes, services to IP addresses. The second one is the Reverse Lookup Zone which resolves IP addresses to names. While we always use the first type in every networking environment, we rarely use the second type for some security reasons. Furthermore, we have four types of zones that we can create and configure in each one of these two zone classes. In fact, when we talk about zone configuration, we configure one of these four types, whether in the Forward Lookup Zone or the Reverse Lookup Zone. Wherever we create them, they function accordingly. Now, let’s see each of these four zone types we can create and configure.

1. Primary DNS Zone

As the name refers, the Primary DNS Zone is the main DNS zone that a primary DNS server hosts. It stores the read/write copy of the zone data (resource records). Let’s say we have a DNS Server for our main office with a thousand clients. Now, that DNS Server hosts a primary zone and stores the DNS records of all those thousand clients with both read and write privileges.

2. Secondary DNS Zone

The Secondary DNS Zone stores a read-only copy of the Primary DNS zone. It goes hand-in-hand with the primary zone. If a change occurs in the primary zone, that change replicates in the secondary zone. We can not delete or add a new resource record in a secondary DNS zone. We use it mainly to reduce the workload on the primary DNS server, prevent a single point of failure, and reduce other resource usages like network bandwidth in a scenario where the company’s branches are connected over a WAN link.

3. Stub DNS Zone

A Stub DNS Zone is very similar to a secondary DNS zone. But, it stores a copy of resource records of only the name servers (NS) of a primary zone and not all resource records of a primary zone. Like the primary-secondary zones, we use it to reduce loads on the primary DNS Server, prevent a single point of failure, and reduce other resource usage.

4. Active Directory Integrated (ADI) DNS Zone

An active directory Integrated zone, or ADI zone for short, can be hosted only on a DNS server which is also the Domain Controller. Using the ADI zone, all the resource records automatically replicate between the two DNS servers. It is entirely bidirectional and multi-master. That means any changes on one side replicate to the other side. This type is the most secure as the replications are encrypted.

Now that we have a conceptual understanding of each DNS zone type, we will go forward and practically configure each one in a separate section.

Create and Configure a Primary DNS Zone

From the above descriptions, we understand what a Primary DNS Zone is and where we use it. We will walk through the below steps to create and configure a primary DNS zone in Windows Server 2022.

1. Open the DNS Manager console. To do so, open the Run dialogue box by pressing the Windows Key + R keys combination on your keyboard. Typednsmgmt.msccommand and press enter to open it. You can also open it by navigating through Server Manager >> Tools >> DNS.

2. Under the Server name on the DNS Manager console, you can create a new zone of both Forward Lookup Zones and Reverse Lookup Zones. Whichever you intend to create, right-click on it and choose the New Zone option. Consequently, click on the Next button on the first screen.

3. To create a Primary Zone, check out the first option and uncheck the last checkbox. Then, click on Next.

4. On the Zone Name console, type your zone name and click on Next to continue.

5. Now, configure the zone file. Choose the first option to create a new zone file, and click on the Next. The DNS zone creates a file to save the associated resource records. This file will be saved in the C:\Windows\System32\dns directory.

6. In this step, configure the Dynamic Updates. For the Primary DNS Zone, we have two options, and almost always, we choose the first active option, as shown in the picture. If we select the Do not allow dynamic updates option, we must manually update the resource records each time there is a new record, which is impossible in most cases. When it is set, click on the Next button. Finally, click on Finish on the last page.

That is all with the Primary DNS zone configuration. However, we still need to configure zone transfer.

Configure Primary DNS Zone Transfer

We learned how to create and configure a new Primary DNS zone in Server 2022. But, we still need to configure the zone transfer for our newly created primary DNS zone. The zone transfer configuration specifies the server(s) with which our primary zone must replicate its information. Follow the steps below to configure Zone Transfer.

1. Right-click on your DNS Zone and select the Properties option from the list.

2. On the zone properties page, select the Name Servers tab and click on Add button.

3. On the New Name Server Record screen, type the name or IP address of the secondary server with which you want to replicate this zone’s resource records. Use the Resolve button to resolve it. Once you have added the secondary server(s), click on the OK button. Do not care about the warning sign with the resolved server(s). Finally, close the zone’s Properties window.

We are all done with the primary zone. We have created and configured it, and then we configured the zone transfer. It is all set and ready to resolve names and replicate its records with the secondary DNS zone on the Server(s) we have just added.

Create and Configure a Secondary DNS Zone

A secondary DNS zone, as we described earlier, is a read-only copy of the primary DNS zone that updates itself with a replication of the Primary DNS zone records associated with it. It is also very similar in terms of configuration steps. Anyway, let’s move on and go with those steps to create and configure a Secondary DNS zone in Server 2022.

1. Open the DNS Manager console on the secondary server (Same as the Primary DNS zone described above)

2. Create a new DNS zone (Same as the step 2 of the primary DNS zone described above)

3. Choose the Secondary Zone option as shown in the below picture to create a secondary DNS zone. Then, click on the Next button.

4. Name the Secondary DNS zone. Remember that it is mandatory that the Secondary DNS zone name must be the same as the Primary DNS zone with which you want to associate. That is what makes them correlate with each other. So our secondary DNS name becomes Zone1 as of the primary DNS zone. Click on Next when it is set.

5. Specify the Master DNS Server(s) using their IP addresses or names. Once specified correctly, click on the Next button. Finally, click on the Finish button on the next page.

At this point, we have successfully created and configured the secondary DNS zone. Now, let’s verify if they work correctly.

Verify Primary-Secondary DNS Zones

We already know the purpose of the primary and secondary DNS zones. So, it is clear that all the resource records from the primary DNS zone should automatically get stored in the secondary DNS zone. Besides learning how to create and configure a DNS Zone in Server 2022, we verify this replication of resources and check if it works.

To verify this configuration, first, we manually create a new record in the primary DNS zone on the DNS server that hosts it (DC1 in our scenario). Then, we check if it is replicated in the secondary DNS zone on the DNS server that hosts our secondary zone (SRV1 in our scenario). Let’s move on step by step.

1. On the primary DNS server (DC1 in our example), right-click on the primary zone you have created and choose New Host (A or AAAA) option from the list.

2. Put the name of the new record in the Name box, and put the IP address associated with that name in the IP address box. Then, click on the Add Host button. Next, click on the OK button on the message window. Finally, click on the Done button.

3. On the secondary DNS server (SRV1 in our example), click on the secondary zone and see if the record you have created in the primary zone is added there. Remember that it might take a few seconds to replicate. So, refresh the DNS manager window on the secondary server.

This way, we can manually add a DNS record in our primary zone and check if it replicates to the secondary zone.

Create and Configure a Stub DNS Zone

Earlier in this article, we discussed the Stub DNS zone. We know where we use it and what resource records it stores. Now in this section, we dive into the steps on how we can create and configure a Stub zone in Windows Server 2022. Most of the steps are similar to the secondary zone configuration we covered above. So, to keep it short, we will refer to the secondary zone configuration steps for similar ones.

1. Open DNS Manager console (same as the Step 1 of secondary zone configuration)

2. Create a new DNS zone (Same as the step 2 of the secondary zone configuration)

3. Choose the Stub zone option on the Zone Type window.

4. Enter the name of the Stub zone. (Same as step 4 of the secondary zone configuration)

5. Configure zone file. (Same as the step 5 of the Primary zone configuration discussed above)

6. Add the master server (primary server which hosts the primary zone) as we did for the secondary DNS zone.

We configured a Stub Zone following these six steps. It is straightforward and requires almost the same steps as the secondary zone configuration except for steps three and five, where we specify the zone type and configure the zone file.

Create and Configure an Active Directory Integrated (ADI) DNS Zone

We are familiar with the concept of Active Directory Integrated (ADI) DNS Zones, as we discussed earlier in this article. To remind you, the ADI zones can be hosted only on the DNS servers, which are also the domain controller. With that in mind, this section covers the steps on how to create and configure an ADI DNS zone in Windows Server 2022. Let’s walk through the steps. To keep it short, we will refer to some of the above section’s steps if there are similar steps to the above sections.

1. Pull up the DNS Manager console as we did in previous sections.

2. Create a new DNS zone. (step 2 of the above sections)

3. Select the Primary zone option and check out the last checkbox option for the ADI DNS zone. Click on Next afterward.

4. Select the replication scope for the ADI zone in which it must replicate its resource records. We always use one of the two first options. The first one is to replicate the zone to all servers in the forest, and the second option is to replicate it to all servers in the domain. It depends on your environment and the plan accordingly. When done, click on Next.

5. Type a name for your ADI DNS zone and click on Next to continue.

6. Configure the Secure Dynamic Update in this step. For the ADI DNS zone, the first option is also available. Almost always, we use the first option for an ADI zone. It also depends on your plan. Click on the Next button when it is set. Then, click on Finish in the next window.

That is all the steps we walk through to create and configure an ADI DNS zone in Windows Server 2022.

Summary

To revise what we covered in this article, we started with an overview of the DNZ zones. First of all, we discussed the Forward Lookup Zone and Reverse Lookup Zone. We covered a brief overview of the four zones we can create and configure in each Forward and Reverse Lookup Zones. Next, in a step-by-step approach, we covered the primary zone creation and configuration. Likewise, we stepped into secondary zone configuration steps. Another small topic we covered was verifying primary-secondary zones. A stub zone configuration was the next section we covered. Finally, we explained the ADI DNS Zone configuration in six steps.

In the end, I would like to share my happiness in having you read our articles. Please feel free and let us know your thoughts and queries regarding our content.

The post Create and Configure a DNS Zone in Windows Server 2022 appeared first on TECHNIG.

As essential parts of a DNS Server, the DNS Forwarders and the DNS Conditional Forwarders are the two topics that we will configure after installing the DNS role and configuring the DNS zones. A DNS Forwarder is responsible for serving external DNS requests. We manually configure the DNS Forwarder on our DNS Server and specify the DNS server(s) it should refer to for any external DNS requests. A DNS Conditional Forwarder resolves the external DNS requests only for a specific domain that we specify. Mainly, we configure it between partners and trusted organisations. With this brief introduction in mind, we will cover how to configure a DNS Forwarder and a DNS Conditional Forwarder in Windows Server 2022. We will cover each one in a separate section following a straightforward step-by-step approach.

Also, read Install DNS In Server 2022 Using Server Manager And Powershell.

Configure a DNS Forwarder in Server 2022

We discussed a brief overview of the DNS Forwarder. In this section, we will go step-by-step to see how we can configure it in a Windows Server 2022.

1. Pull up the DNS Manager console. To do so, press down the Windows Key + R keys on your keyboard. Then, typednsmgmt.mscin the Run dialogue box and hit enter. An alternative way is to navigate through Server Manager >>Tools >> DNS.

2. On the DNS Manager console, select the server name on the left pane and double-click on Forwarders at the right pane.

3. Select the Forwarders tab on the DNS server’s properties, and click on the Edit button, afterwards.

4. Now, add the IP address of the DNS server(s) to which you want to forward the DNS external requests. You can add many DNS servers. As of our example, we have added two Google public DNS servers (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4). Click on a DNS server you have added, and you can set the order or delete it using the buttons on the right pane. Once everything is set, click on the OK button.

5. As you can see in the below picture, our two DNS servers are added to DNS Forwarders. Now our DNS server forwards any external DNS requests to one of these two DNS servers. Finally, Click on OK to close the window.

All right. In five simple steps with picture illustration, we have explained how to configure a DNS forwarder in Windows Server 2022.

Configure a DNS Conditional Forwarder in Server 2022

A Conditional Forwarder, as we discussed earlier, resolves the external DNS requests only for a specific domain. We define that external domain in our DNS server. Our DNS server then resolves the external DNS request only for that domain. It forwards any external DNS requests other than for that domain to the DNS server(s) defined in forwarders or to the DNS servers in the root hint. Having said this stuff, let’s move on and see the steps to configure a DNS Conditional Forwarder in Windows Server 2022.

1. Open up the DNS Manager console (step 1 of the previous section)

2. Expand the DNS server and right-click on Conditional Forwarders. Select the New Conditional Forwarder option from the list.

3. On the New Conditional Forwarder window, first, enter the domain’s name that your DNS server should resolve the request for it. Then, enter the IP address of that domain. Next, if you want to store this conditional forwarder in the active directory, check out the relevant checkbox (labelled 3 in the below picture) and choose the appropriate replication option. Otherwise, leave this option unchecked. Finally, click on the OK button.

These are all the steps required to configure a conditional forwarder on a DNS server with Windows Server 2022. Pretty easy!

Conclusion

Throughout this article, first, we discussed a brief overview of the DNS Forwarder and DNS Conditional Forwarder. Then, in two separate sections, we covered a step-by-step guide on how to configure a DNS Forwarder and DNS Conditional Forwarder in Windows Server 2022.

I hope you find this article helpful in any way. Make sure to share your thoughts and queries in the comment section below.

Read More:

• DHCP PowerShell Commands.
• How To See Wi-Fi Password On Windows 11?
• How To Bypass Windows 11 Requirements?

The post Configure DNS Forwarder and DNS Conditional Forwarder in Server 2022 appeared first on TECHNIG.

Domain Name System or DNS for short is a fundamental service that resolves names/services to IP addresses and sometimes vice versa. It is a key service that must be running in every network. The very first configuration regarding this topic is installing its capability on the server. Then, there are bundles of configurations and settings to understand and care about. So, as a beginner article regarding DNS, this article covers how to install DNS in Windows Server 2022 using both Server Manager and PowerShell tools.

You may also like to read: Install And Configure DHCP In Windows Server 2022 Using PowerShell.

Install DNS Using Server Manager

Using Server Manager is a user-friendly and easy method to install roles, including DNS, in Windows Server Operating Systems. We just graphically navigate through the options and install it. The steps are listed below.

1. Open Server Manager console. It is present in the Start Menu by default. If it is not, search for it.

2. On the Server Manager console, click on Manage in the top-right corner. Then, select Add Roles and Features option.

3. On the Before You Being page, just click on Next to continue. Choose the Role-based or feature-based installation option on Installation Type. Then, click on the Next button.

4. On the Server Selection section, choose the server on which you want to install DNS and click on the Next button, afterwards.

5. In this step, check out the DNS Server checkbox option on the Server Roles section. Click on Add Features on the next window that pops up. Finally, click on Next.

6. Click on Next on both Features and DNS Server wizards. On the Confirmation window, check out the option for the Restart if it needs to during the DNS role installation. And, finally, click on the Install button. See the picture below.

7. Wait for a few moments until the DNS role installation completes. Once completed, click on the Close button in the Result section.

As simple as the above steps, we have installed the DNS Server in Windows Server 2022 using Server Manager. Now, if you open the Tools menu on the Server Manager console, you will observe the DNS is present there.

Install DNS using Windows PowerShell

Using Windows PowerShell is always a preferred and professional method of accomplishing such tasks. Besides other benefits, it takes us less time. Now, let’s dive into the brief steps to install DNS using the Windows PowerShell tool.

1. Open Windows PowerShell as administrator. To do so, go to the Start Menu, right-click on it and choose Run as Administrator. You can also open it using the Run dialogue box by using powershellas command.

2. Once you have opened the PowerShell tool, check the DNS if it is available to install. To check the DNS, use the Get-WindowsFeature DNS command. As you can see in the picture below, it is available to install.

3. To install DNS run Install-WindowsFeature DNS -IncludeManagementTools PowerShell command. Then, wait for a while until it finishes the installation process.

4. Now that we have installed DNS, once more, run Get-WindowsFeature DNS PowerShell command to verify the installation. You can see in the below picture that it is installed.

5. It is also the right point to mention how we can uninstall DNS using Windows PowerShell. To uninstall it, run Remove-WindowsFeature DNS PowerShell command. Wait for a moment until it completes the operation. You will receive a message to restart the server if it needs to. you can restart the server using Restart-Computer PowerShell command.

That is it. We learned how to install and uninstall the DNS in Windows Server 2022 using Windows PowerShell.

Summery

To summarize this article, we have walked through a step-by-step guide on how to install DNS service in Windows Server 2022 using Server Manager and Windows Powershell tools. We covered a detailed illustration to install DNS using Server Manager, first. Then, in a separate section, we discussed the PowerShell commands to install, verify and uninstall DNS in Server 2022.

In the end, I hope you find this article helpful. If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to share us in the comment section.

The post Install DNS in Server 2022 using Server Manager and Powershell appeared first on TECHNIG.