Install and Configure DNS on Windows Server 2008 R2

Installation of DNS on Windows Server 2008 R2 is straightforward, and no reboot is necessary. To install and configure the DNS service on a Windows Server 2008 R2 computer, follow these steps:

1. Launch Server Manager.

2. Select the Roles node and click the Add Roles link.

3. Click Next on the Before You Begin page.

4. Select the DNS Server role check box and click Next.

5. Click Next on the Introduction to DNS Server page.

6. Click Install on the Confirmation page to install the DNS role.

7. Click Close to exit the Add Roles Wizard.

The DNS role is installed on the Windows Server 2008 R2 server, but it has not been configured. To configure the role, execute the following steps:

1. Launch Server Manager.

2. Expand the roles, DNS server, DNS nodes, and then select the DNS server name.

3. Select Action, Configure a DNS Server.

4. On the Welcome page for the Configure a DNS Server Wizard, click Next to continue.

5. Select Create Forward and Reverse Lookup Zones (Recommended for Large Networks), and then click Next.

6. Select Yes, Create a Forward Lookup Zone Now (Recommended), and then click Next.

7. Select the type of zone to be created—in this case, choose Primary Zone—and then click Next. If the server is a writable domain controller, the Store the Zone in Active Directory check box is available.

8. If you are storing the zone in Active Directory, select the replication scope, and then click Next.

9. Type the FQDN of the zone in the Zone Name box, and then click Next.

10. At this point, if creating a non–AD–integrated zone, you can create a new zone text file or import one from an existing zone file. In this case, choose Create a New File with This File Name and accept the default. Click Next to continue.

11. The subsequent page allows a zone to either accept or decline dynamic updates. For this example, enable dynamic updates by selecting the Allow Both Nonsecure and Secure Updates option button, and then clicking Next.

12. The next page allows for the creation of a reverse lookup zone. Here, select Yes, Create a Reverse Lookup Zone Now, and then click Next.

13. Select Primary Zone for the reverse lookup zone type, and then click Next.

14. If storing the zone in Active Directory, select the replication scope, and then click Next.

15. Accept the default IPv4 Reverse Lookup Zone, and then click Next.

16. Type the network ID of the Reverse Lookup Zone, and then click Next.

17. Again, if creating a non–AD–integrated zone, you are offered the option to create a new zone file or to utilize an existing file. For this example, choose Create a New File with This File Name, and then click Next to continue.

18. Again, you are presented the option for dynamic updates. For this example, select Allow Both Nonsecure and Secure Updates, and then click Next to continue.

19. The next page deals with the setup of forwarders, which are normally used when only part of DNS is delegated to Active Directory. In this example, choose No, It Should Not Forward Queries, and then click Next to continue.

20. The final window displays a summary of the changes that are made and the zones that are added to the DNS database. Click Finish to finalize the changes and create the zones.