does DNS have to run on a DC

[bookouri]

Ive got a forest with two DCs. Normally I run DNS on both the DCs and have the clients set up with those DC/DNS servers as their primary and secondary dns settings. Is this the "best" practice for this situation? We're adding more DCs and clients and just growing in general. Im thinking about dedicated DNS servers instead of tying DNS to the DCs. Id be interested in hearing what others do as far a managing DCs and DNS.

thanks for any comments

 

[Davetoo]

No, but if you want it to be Active Directory Integrated it does. And I'd highly recommend that you have DNS AD Integrated.

I have two AD servers that only handle my AD, including DNS, DHCP, etc. They're the network workhorses..if it's network related it's on those two servers and nothing else is on them (no files, printers, etc.).

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

There are no more PDC's! There are DC's with FSMO roles!

 

[bookouri]

thanks, thats the kind of information i was hoping to get. how other people are actually doing it.

 

[terry712]

slap it on the dc's -

this is probably my netware background though as it was integrated into the nds for years -

 

[theravager]

Its fine on just the two. DNS can massively scale the number of clients.

And unless you have some sort of reason why dns can't be ad intergrated I would leave it on the DCs as its pretty much set and forget.

 

[58sniper]

We generally won't deploy DNS on anything but DCs, and only AD integrated.

Pat Richard MVP

 

[bookouri]

What is the main reason for the preference for integrated DNS? Security? ease of admin?

 

[58sniper]

Yes (both)

Pat Richard MVP