DNS issue stopping replication between my two domain controllers

[sarahleehill]

Hi there.

I have a domain controller in production and added an additonal W2K3 domain controller to the same domain.
All was working correctly but when I was configuring Etrust & Arcserve I could not get CA Licensing to work - after exhaustive trouble-shooting I gave up. Demoted the second domain controller and rebuilt it again.
I also had 4 member terminal servers in the domain - two of the member terminal servers were pointing at the new second domain controller for Metaframe Access licencing.
After I demoted the second domain controller I shut the two new terminal servers down - they have yet to be started back up.
I rebuilt the machine exactly as I had before with the same computer name but now I am unable to ping the first domain controller by its internal IP address or computer name. I am able to ping it by its second IP address which is connected to a management network. The first domain controller can ping the second though.
I think it is a DNS problem as there are no event logs except for DNS has started on both domain controllers. I only have DNS configured on the first domain controller.
Any ideas as to where I need to start trouble-shooting.

 

[pytchley]

On your first DC the DNS setting should point to the IP address of the server - ie let it point to itself.
In DNS make sure when you expand the forward lookup zone that the root shown by a dot is deleted. See that you have a reverse lookup zone - if not create it using the network address.
Go to a DOS prompt and type nslookup
The default server should be shown withe the ip address.
type set type=ANY
then type the the name of the DNS server
this should resolve thee name.

If this works DNS should be working.
Reboot the server and then enable forwarders to the ISP address.

The next DC to be promoted to active directory (DCPROMO) - take the option to join the existib=ng domain.
This will find the existing DNS server.
If you wish to set up DNS on this server this will need to be added by adding windows components/networks in add/remove programs.
Again point the 2nd DC to itself but add the 1st DC ip address as the 2nd DNS setting. On the 1st DC add the 2nd DC ip address as the 2nd DNS setting.

 

[sarahleehill]

Turns out Routing and Remote Access was enabled on my first domain controller. This was setup by default when I used the Manage My Server wizard "this is the first domain controller in the domain.

Once I disabled Routing and Remote access I was able to ping the server and replication continued.
Thanks for you help.