An Approriate tool required

[mizzy]

Our IT department provides support for approx 10 offices around Europe.
We use NT4 servers and Windows 2000 Pro workstations and some Windows 9x workstations
We provide support using a package called VNC.(It allows us to take control of the users screen)

Would it be a good idea to install DNS and maintain details of all 10 offices PC's(around 500).
Each PC is labeled with its network name. So all we'd have to do is ask the user for their network name.(At the moment we have to ask the user to find out their IP address)
The only problem with is keeping track of everything.

Is there anything out there that makes this process easier?

Thanks,

 

[sidb]

A WINS server should do the trick. Once set up the WINS server address needs to be added to the network info of the individual workstations. If you used DHCP that would automate the process. Mind you, if you had a DNS server to do DHCP you probably wouldn't need a WINS server

 

[mizzy]

Hi there,

Thanks for your assistance.

DNS to do DHCP? That sounds interesting.

Do you mean that when DHCP gives out the IP address then it would be automatically registered on the DNS server?
Is this available on an NT 4 server config?

Regards,

 

[sidb]

There are a couple of good articles on the Technet CD about WINS and DHCP. They are by TechRepublic, and may be available on their site: TechRepublic.com

They point out that if you have Windows 2000 then Wins is no longer an option, and you need D-DNS, which requires a DHCP server. If you haven't got DHCP already it's all going to be quite a big job!