Needing some guidance on naming conventions for DNS Server/DC

Greetings, I have got the following in a VMWare bridged environment:
-2 Windows 2003 Servers, where one does DNS and DC (server 1) and the other is a DC (server 2)
-2 Win XP Clients
I have been able to join the XP clients to the domain (server 1) with no problem, and I was even able to have the 2nd DC (server 2) join the 1st DC.
However I setup the 2nd DC so I could start to get some replication experience and I'm having issues. This maybe the result of confusion on how to name the DNS server and then the DC, because I find myself getting confused between the two. I even got some odd errors when trying to force replication between the two as I was creating a user in one domain and trying to see if they would show up in the second domain.
For example, under DNS, the top level DNS shows as koajdc.
The domain controller (server1) is koajdc01d.org (I gave it the 01 as the first domain controller, and 'd' for devlopment).
The second domain controller is: koajdc02d.org...So when on the 2nd computer: My Computer > Properties > Computer Name the full computer name shows as koajdc02d.koajdc01d.org...a bit confusing.
SO, in summary, what is the best way to set a naming convention when creating DCs and DNS?
thanks
-2 Windows 2003 Servers, where one does DNS and DC (server 1) and the other is a DC (server 2)
-2 Win XP Clients
I have been able to join the XP clients to the domain (server 1) with no problem, and I was even able to have the 2nd DC (server 2) join the 1st DC.
However I setup the 2nd DC so I could start to get some replication experience and I'm having issues. This maybe the result of confusion on how to name the DNS server and then the DC, because I find myself getting confused between the two. I even got some odd errors when trying to force replication between the two as I was creating a user in one domain and trying to see if they would show up in the second domain.
For example, under DNS, the top level DNS shows as koajdc.
The domain controller (server1) is koajdc01d.org (I gave it the 01 as the first domain controller, and 'd' for devlopment).
The second domain controller is: koajdc02d.org...So when on the 2nd computer: My Computer > Properties > Computer Name the full computer name shows as koajdc02d.koajdc01d.org...a bit confusing.
SO, in summary, what is the best way to set a naming convention when creating DCs and DNS?
thanks
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"Its easier to deceive the masses then to convince the masses that they have been deceived."
-unknown
"Its easier to deceive the masses then to convince the masses that they have been deceived."
-unknown
Comments
Personal preference as far as naming the actual machines go. I like to name them something descriptive, such as DC01, etc. Some people might like to name them something generic (or obscure) for security purposes, such as Server01. However, it's trivial to figure out what services are running on a given machine, so you really don't get any more security, and you just make things more difficult to manage on your end.
First, you said that koajdc shows on the DNS... is koajdc.org your domain? then you name the first DC as koajdc01d.org and koajdc02d.koajdc01d.org for the second... this is so wrong. The way that I see this is that your top level domain is koajdc01d.org and you have a child domain which is koajdc02d.koajdc01d.org... I am just basing this as per your explanation.
My advise: You may name your domain as koaj.org or you may use koaj.local since this is an internal domain...(koajdc is what many admin use for dc hostname) which will also be the DNS name. Name your first domain controller as koajdc01d.koaj.org and the second DC as koajdc02d.koaj.org. In promoting the Domain Controller, bear in mind that the domain is the same as your DNS name especially when configuring the AD integrated zone.
You don't absolutely need a .org or .local or .domain after your domain name.
This is the 1st time I have ever setup DNS.
"Its easier to deceive the masses then to convince the masses that they have been deceived."
-unknown
I didn't see an option to rename in Windows DNS.
"Its easier to deceive the masses then to convince the masses that they have been deceived."
-unknown
By the way just for your info, you can also rename a domain by using rendom.exe and rename a domain controller using netdom.exe.
Having a single-label name for the domain is bad joo joo.
rwwest. He said you dont need a .org or .local after the single label portion of the dns domain name.
While it doesnt have to be org or local, using solely a single label name is just a bad practice.
I blew away both domain controllers and rebuilt them and also had the put all of the clients back to the Workgroup and then to the new domain (can't imagine doing any of this without VMWare). Also renamed all of the clients, to xp1, xp2 and xp3.
Once building the new domain, calling it dc01, I then installed DNS and gave it the following domain name: koaj.org
When installed AD also did the same thing for the domain name , so I haven't gotten any weird/funny errors at this time.
BTW, this is what the instruction video did, and I followed the example and it seems to work ok.
I was able to join the clients to the domain (dc01) with no issue.
I then created a 2nd DC (dc02) and was able to have it join to the 1st dc with no issue and then installed AD.
Once doing this I could go to both dcs and see both domain controllers and computers.
HOWEVER, still having an issue of replication. Will post more on that later.
thanks
"Its easier to deceive the masses then to convince the masses that they have been deceived."
-unknown
This URL has really good info, will have to print this out in order to absorb it.
thanks
"Its easier to deceive the masses then to convince the masses that they have been deceived."
-unknown
Did you try running DCDIAG?
Hi all!
I've just visited this forum. Happy to get acquainted with you. Thanks.
First DC in a domain/forest, let DCPROMO install DNS.
Any DC after that, I always just point its DNS (will have to) to an existing DC and then DCPRomo it. I then install DNS, let AD replication bring over the DNS zones. Now your new DC is a Nameserver (gets created automatically).
New trees/child domains, do the same thing. But before you DCPromo, add a delegation so the new server will have delegated rights to the new namespace. That way, DCPROMO will recognize it's authoritative and install DNS. Before reboot after DCPromo completes, you can remove the delegation and add a forwarder/stub if you like.
That's what I always do.