How to Configure DNS on Windows Server 2012

Microsoft Windows Server 2012 is capable of many different role and functions. They provide us an approach where the admin can manually install the needed services.

To setup and configure DNS , one can follow following steps :

Using Server Manager we can add a new role to Window Server 2012 by clicking on Manage Menu and then select Add Roles And Features

Click next on the Add Roles and Features Wizard Before you begin window that pops up. (If you checked Skip this page by default sometime in the past, that page will, of course, not appear.)

For installation type select the Role-based or feature-based installation.

Now, choose which server you want to install the DNS server role on from the server pool. Select the server you want, and click next.

At this point, you will see a pop-up window informing that some additional tools are required to manage the DNS Server. These tools do not necessarily have to be installed on the same server you are installing the DNS role on. If your organization only does remote administration, you do not have to install the DNS Server Tools.

However, in a crunch you may find yourself sitting at the server console or remotely using the console and needing to manage the DNS Server directly. In this case, you will wish you had the tools installed locally. Unless your company policy forbids it, it is typically prudent to install the management tools on the server where the DNS will be housed.

In feature window and in informational window about DNS Server click NEXT

This is the final confirmation screen before installation completes. You can check the box to Restart the destination server automatically, if you like

The DNS Server should now be insatlled

In Server Manager, to configure the DNS Server, click the Tools menu and select DNS. This brings up the DNS Manager window.

We need to configure how the DNS server before adding any records. Select the DNS server to manage, then click the Action menu, and select Configure a DNS Server. A DNS Server Wizard will popup

There are 3 different options:

A forward lookup zone allows you to do the standard DNS function of taking a name and resolving it into an IP address.

A reverse lookup zone allows you to do the opposite, taking an IP address and finding its name.

Now, you choose whether this server will maintain the zone, or if this server will have a read-only copy of the DNS records from another server.

Root hints only will not create a database of name records for lookups, but rather will just have the IP addresses of other DNS servers where records can be found.

If you already have DNS setup on your network, you’ll probably want to continue using the same configuration you already have. If not, use forward and backward for most situations.

Then click Next

Now enter the zone name , in case of first DNS Server this needs to be the root zone name for your entire organization.

Now, you need to choose the file name where the DNS records will be stored. The default filename is to add a .dns extension to the name of the zone you chose in the previous window.

Next you select how this server will respond to Dynamic Updates. Although there are three choices here, only two should actually be used in production. Select the first option to allow only secure dynamic updates if you are integrating your DNS with Active Directory. Select do not allow dynamic updates if your DNS is not integrated with Active Directory and you don’t want to allow dynamic updates. Do not allow unsecured dynamic updates unless you really know what you are doing and have a very good reason for doing so.

Up next is the option to configure forwarders. If your DNS server ever gets a query for which it has no record, it can forward that request on to another DNS server to see if it has the answer.

Click Next and your DNS server is now configured and ready for use.