10. Appendix: How to Create and Configure a Zone
Start the DNS management console
([Start/Programs/Administrative Tools/DNS]). Open up your server
(OUCS-PHANTOM in the example below) in the left hand window and you should see
two folders — Forward Lookup Zones and
Reverse Lookup Zones . There should be nothing in
either of them.
If there is an entry under Forward Lookup Zones; (there may
be one called unitname.ox.ac.uk) then delete it.
Now right-click on the Forward Lookup Zone folder and select [New
Zone]. Click on Next and then choose [Primary]
as the zone type and make sure the option to Store the zone in Active
Directory is checked.
Next and type in the name of the zone you want to
create. The zones are as follows (replace unitDNSname with the
appropriate name for your unit). Click on Next, check that the details are correct and click on
Finish. You now should have an entry for the zone visible
within the Forward Lookup Zones folder.
Right-click on this entry and select [Properties]. First check on the
[General] tab that [Only secure updates] is the
setting for [Allow dynamic updates? ]
Next click on the [Start of Authority (SOA)] tab and change the
[Responsible person] entry. This box should contain a valid
e-mail address which will be directed to the person responsible for the server.
By convention you should substitute a. for the @ in the e-mail
address. You should also include a . at the end of the address.
Consider changing the various time intervals. The main Oxford DNS servers use the following intervals, which are considerably longer than the Microsoft defaults.
There may be advantages in leaving the defaults until you have set up your server completely. However, once set up, it is unlikely that you will be making too many changes that affect the DNS, and the above settings may be more appropriate.
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