How to Setup and Configure DNS in Windows Server

Microsoft created Windows Server, a strong operating system that offers a platform for running server applications and services. It is designed to be a robust, scalable, and secure platform for businesses and organisations to manage their IT infrastructure. It is the server equivalent to the widely used Windows client operating systems, such as Windows 10.

There are various editions of Windows Server, each with unique features and licensing choices to meet various corporate requirements. Standard, Datacenter, Essentials, and Hyper-V Server are a few of the most widely used editions of Windows Server.

In general, Windows Server is a solid and dependable operating system that gives businesses the tools and functionality they need to properly manage their IT infrastructure. It is a vital tool for anybody working in the IT industry and is widely used by companies of all sorts, from small startups to major corporations.

What is DNS?

We frequently use domain names to access websites, apps, and other online resources while we browse the internet on a regular basis. For instance, to use Google’s search engine, we input “www.google.com” into our computer browsers. Although each device on a network is given an IP address, which is a numeric value, computers communicate with one another using these addresses. How do our computers determine which IP address goes with a particular domain name, then? The Domain Name System has the solution (DNS).

Domain names are converted into IP addresses using the hierarchical, decentralised naming system known as DNS. It can be compared to a phone book for the internet, where phone numbers are represented by IP addresses and names by domain names. When you enter a domain name into a web browser, your computer sends a request to a DNS resolver, which then searches a database of IP addresses and domain names to find the related domain name.

How to Setup and Configure DNS in Windows Server

The requirement for a trustworthy and effective Domain Name System (DNS) is growing as more companies move their operations online. Any network infrastructure would be incomplete without DNS, which enables users to access resources by name rather than IP address. To setup and configure DNS on a Windows server, follow these steps:

Step 1: Install the DNS Server Role

Installing the DNS Server role is the first step in setting up DNS on Windows Server. These steps can be used to do this:

• Click the Server Manager icon in the taskbar or look for it in the Start menu to launch Server Manager.

• Choose Add Roles and Features by clicking Manage in the Server Manager window.

• Click Next in the Add Roles and Features Wizard until you reach the page that asks you to choose your server roles.

• Choose the DNS Server role by swiping down, then click Next.
• You can click Next after leaving the default choices on the Features page.
• Review your choices on the Confirmation screen, then click Install.
• Click on Close once the installation is finished.

Step 2: Configure DNS Server Settings

You must set up the DNS Server settings after installing the DNS Server role. These steps can be used to do this:

• By selecting the Administrative Tools from the Start menu, DNS may be accessed from there.

• Right-click the server name in the DNS Management box and choose Properties.
• Choose the Interfaces tab in the Server Properties box.
• Click Edit after deciding which interface will be utilised for DNS communication.
• Enter the DNS server’s IP address in the Modify Interface window and then click OK.
• Choose the Forwarders tab in the Server Properties window to return there.
• If you want to utilise any external DNS servers for request forwarding, click Modify and then enter their IP addresses.
• Click OK to save your changes.

Step 3: Create a DNS Zone

The creation of a DNS zone is the next step in configuring DNS in Windows Server. These steps can be used to do this:

• Right-click the server name in the DNS Management window and choose Create Zone.
• Click Next in the New Zone Wizard.
• Click Next after choosing the kind of zone you wish to establish (main, secondary, or stub).
• After entering the zone’s name, click Next.
• Click Next after choosing the DNS server that will host the zone.
• Click Next after deciding whether to enable dynamic updates to the zone.
• To create the zone, review your options and click Complete.

Step 4: Create DNS Records

Once a DNS zone has been established, you may begin setting up DNS records. To accomplish this, take the following actions:

• The zone to which you want to add a record should be expanded in the DNS Management window.
• New Host can be chosen by right-clicking the zone (A or AAAA).
• The host’s name and IP address should be entered in the New Host window before clicking Add Host.
• If you wish to add any more hosts to the zone, just repeat steps 2 and 3 once more.

Step 5: Test DNS

It is very crucial to test DNS after configuring it in Windows Server to make sure it is operating properly. These steps can be used to do this:

• By selecting the Start menu, typing cmd, then hitting Enter, you may launch a command prompt.
• Enter after you type nslookup and the host’s name from your DNS zone.
• The command prompt ought to show the host’s IP address.

Conclusion

Effective administration of an organization’s IT infrastructure depends on correctly setting up and configuring DNS on the Windows Server. Administrators may guarantee applications and services are always available, lessen network traffic, and boost performance by defining and configuring DNS zones, adding resource records, and diagnosing problems. Users can access resources more easily when a DNS system is well-designed and correctly set up. Although the DNS configuration may appear complicated, administrators can develop the skills and expertise necessary to create and maintain a dependable DNS system for their organization through practice and knowledge.