Primary DNS issue

[Denda]

Our company has 2 local DNS servers (primary & secondary) at our lcoation, we have a remote site which has it's own DNS server.

Whenever the T1 between our site & the remote site is down, the remote site's DNS doesn't work. I would assume that it probably isn't ever working if this happens.

If I am at the remote site & do a nslookup, the proper (remote site) DNS server is shown as primary with our sites DNS showing up secondary.

Both sites are in the same domain & we are using Active Directory. Any ideas on how to fix this?

 

[GlenJohnson]

First, we need to see what's happening with your primary servers. Check event logs, make sure your primary and secondary servers are set up in tcp/ip correctly, run ipconfig /flushdns. It sounds like your remote server is the only one setup correctly. Good luck.

Glen A. Johnson
"Give the laziest man the hardest job and he'll find the easiest way to do it."

Want to get great answers to your Tek-Tips questions? Have a look at FAQ219-2884

 

[Denda]

The only error pertaining to the time the data link went down was stating that it was having trouble enabling replication to the remote server, which is because it can't get out to it over the T1.

I flushed the cache of the primary DNS & no errors. What should I be looking for?

 

[wbg34]

On your Remote Server go to Start --> Programs --> Admin Tools --> DNS. Right Click on the Remotes name and select properties. Click on the forwarders tab and verify that forwarders are enabled and that you have two valid DNS servers listed as forwarders. Click OK and click on the plusses Next to your remote servers name until you get to the Forward Lookup Zone. Verify that the folder named "." is not there. If it is there then delete it.

 

[Denda]

Forwarders are enabled & the DNS servers listed are the DNS servers at our main facility. The "." folder is not there.

 

[wbg34]

Change the DNS servers listed in your Forwarders to your ISP's DNS Servers.

 

[Denda]

We've got the remote server set so that it has to go through our main office (firewall) to connect to the internet, so if I do that it won't help if the data line is down. They still will not be able to get out to the Internet.

 

[wbg34]

So then the only functionality that you are losing when the T1 line goes down is local dns resolution?

 

[GlenJohnson]

Getting a bit confusing. Part of the problem is replication because it can't find it in DNS? Do all servers show up in DNS? How about setting up a hosts file on all servers and trying to manually replicate all? What happens then?

Glen A. Johnson
"Give the laziest man the hardest job and he'll find the easiest way to do it."

Want to get great answers to your Tek-Tips questions? Have a look at FAQ219-2884

 

[Denda]

wbg -
Sorry, I thought I answered this yesterday... But the reply isn't here. )

Yes, that is exactly what we are losing. They have a local intranet that they have to access to keep production & quality running properly. If the T1 goes down, they can't get to it. As long as the T1 is up, they can, they are severed from the production database, but they are at least able to properly end out jobs & what not...

One of my co-workers yesterday made the following changes:
ran ntdsutil
xfer'd roles of PDC & GC to the remote server
Checked the box in AD Sites & Services to enable global cataloging on the remote server.

We are unable to test it since we are a 24/7 shop to see if it worked, but on the next holiday, it will be tested.

Although, ever since he did that, our main office intranet is extremely slow to resolve. The server that hosts the intranet is a PDC. Any connection here of what was done & what is now happening? It seems too obvious to be a complete coincidence.

 

[Denda]

Glen -
Sorry for the cluelessness (if that's even a word), but when you say all servers do you mean all DNS servers or all windows servers that are on our network.

On our primary DNS server, it shows itself & the backup DNS server. On our backup DNS server, it shows itself & the primary DNS. On our remote DNS server, it shows itself & the backup DNS server. Host file already exists on all servers. Replication is automatically happening per event logs with no problems.