Configure DNS Zone Transfers

Configure a DNS Secondary Zone in Windows Server 2012

Secondary Zones are a DNS feature that allows the entire DNS database from a Master DNS server  to be transferred to the Secondary.  A Secondary Zones allows an organization to provide fault tolerance and load balancing to internal names.  In addition to being able to resolve names to a private namespace or speed up name resolution to a public namespace without the use of Conditional Forwarders or Stub Zones. 

When a Secondary DNS server is configured it will request a zone transfer from a DNS Server maintaining the Master database for a zone.  If the Master has been configured to allow zone transfers with the Secondary the entire database will be transferred.  Once a secondary receives the database from the master it will now perform all name resolution request for the namespace locally. If the client query is not part of the authoritative namespace, it starts a name resolution process beginning with a root name server and continues the process until the name is resolved.  The Secondary database is kept up to date via zone transfers from the Master. 

Scenario.

Two organizations, USSHQ and Dulce Base need to be able to share resources.  A trust relationship between the two organizations Active Directory Domain Services is desired, but neither organization name space can be resolved through public name resolution.  In order to configure the trust relationship name resolution need to be configured.  One option for name resolution is to use a DNS Secondary Zone.  DNS Secondary Zones in each domain will be configured to allow for the resolution to occur for other organization namespace. All other names needing resolved will use the default name resolution method.

If a computer from Dulce Base attempts to contact a computer in USSHQ it is unable to resolve the name.  See figure below, the same result would occur going the other direction.

Configuring the source DNS server to allow for zone transfers  (steps will be accomplished on both DNS Servers).

1. Launch the DNS console and secondary click on the Forward Look Zone that you desire so configure Zone Transfers on, click on Properties.
    
2. Select the Zone Transfers tab.
   
   1. To allow zone transfers, select the Allow zone transfers check box. Then choose one of the following :
      1. To allow zone transfers to any server, click To any server.
      2. To allow zone transfers only to the DNS servers listed on the Name Servers tab, click Only to servers listed on the Name Servers tab. Use this setting if you have configured Authoritative Name Servers for this zone in the Names Servers tab.
      3. To allow zone transfers only to specific DNS servers, click Only to the following servers, and then add the IP address of one or more DNS servers.  Use this setting if you have not configured Authoritative Name Servers for this zone in the Name Servers tab or you desire to allow zone transfers with Name Servers.
3. In this demonstration we will be using the last option, click Only to the following servers.
   
    
4. Click Edit, enter the IP Address of the Name Server that will be requesting the zone transfer, press enter.  After the FQDN has resolved click OK.
    
5. Click OK on the DNS Properties sheet, DNS is now configured to allow zone transfers with the Dulce Base DNS serve.

Configuring a Secondary Zone (Same steps will be accomplished in both DNS servers).

1. Launch the DNS Console.
   
    
2. Expand Forward Lookup Zones, secondary click on Forward Lookup Zone and choose New Zone. On the Welcome to the New Zone Wizard, click Next.
    
3. On the Zone Type page, click Secondary Zone then click Next.
   
4. On the Zone Name page, enter the desired zone to transfer from, click Next.
    
5. Click Next on the Zone File page.
6. On the Master DNS Servers page, Enter the IP Address of the master DNS server to transfer from press enter to resolve, Click Next.
    
7.  On the Completing the New Zone Wizard, click Finish.
8. Refresh the zone, a transfer should have occurred.

Note:  The zone transfer may take a few minutes to occur, keep refreshing the screen and be patient.

Name resolution will now succeed from DulceBase.Local to USSHQ.Local.  Once the DNS administrator completes the configuration on the USSHQ.Local DNS server name resolution will succeed from USSHQ.Local to DulceBase.local.

As you can see configuring a Secondary Zone is a simple fix to resolving names in a private network when public name resolution fails.  But, does require the Administrator of the Master Zone to allow zone transfers with your organization before the zone will actually transfer

Source RickTrader

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