Examining Root Hints
By default, a DNS installation includes a
listing of Internet-level name servers that can be used for name
resolution of the .com, .net, .uk, and like domain names on the
Internet. When a DNS server cannot resolve a query locally in its cache
or in local zones, it consults the Root Hints list, which indicates
which servers to begin iterative queries with.
The Hints file should be updated on a regular
basis to ensure that the servers listed are still relevant. This file
is located in \%systemroot%\system32\DNS\cache.dns and can be updated
on the Internet at the following address:
ftp://ftp. internic.net/domain/named.cache
At the time of writing, the latest root hints file, or root name servers, was dated Jun 8, 2011. The contents are shown in Listing 1. You can see the root server names (for example, A.ROOT-SERVER.NET) and their A records (for example, 192.41.0.4).
Listing 1. Root Hints File Contents
; This file holds the information about root name servers needed to
; initialize cache of Internet domain name servers
; (e.g. reference this file in the "cache . <file>"
; configuration file of BIND domain name servers).
;
; This file is made available by InterNIC
; under anonymous FTP as
; file /domain/named.cache
; on server FTP.INTERNIC.NET
; -OR- RS.INTERNIC.NET
;
; last update: Jun 8, 2011
; related version of root zone: 2011060800
;
; formerly NS.INTERNIC.NET
;
. 3600000 IN NS A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 A 198.41.0.4
A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 AAAA 2001:503:BA3E::2:30
;
; FORMERLY NS1.ISI.EDU
;
. 3600000 NS B.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
B.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 A 192.228.79.201
;
; FORMERLY C.PSI.NET
;
. 3600000 NS C.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
C.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 A 192.33.4.12
;
; FORMERLY TERP.UMD.EDU
;
. 3600000 NS D.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
D.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 A 128.8.10.90
D.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 AAAA 2001:500:2D::D
;
; FORMERLY NS.NASA.GOV
;
. 3600000 NS E.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
E.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 A 192.203.230.10
;
; FORMERLY NS.ISC.ORG
;
. 3600000 NS F.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
F.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 A 192.5.5.241
F.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 AAAA 2001:500:2F::F
;
; FORMERLY NS.NIC.DDN.MIL
;
. 3600000 NS G.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
G.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 A 192.112.36.4
;
; FORMERLY AOS.ARL.ARMY.MIL
;
. 3600000 NS H.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
H.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 A 128.63.2.53
H.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 AAAA 2001:500:1::803F:235
;
; FORMERLY NIC.NORDU.NET
;
. 3600000 NS I.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
I.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 A 192.36.148.17
I.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 AAAA 2001:7FE::53
;
; OPERATED BY VERISIGN, INC.
;
. 3600000 NS J.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
J.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 A 192.58.128.30
J.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 AAAA 2001:503:C27::2:30
;
; OPERATED BY RIPE NCC
;
. 3600000 NS K.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
K.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 A 193.0.14.129
K.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 AAAA 2001:7FD::1
;
; OPERATED BY ICANN
;
. 3600000 NS L.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
L.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 A 199.7.83.42
L.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 AAAA 2001:500:3::42
;
; OPERATED BY WIDE
;
. 3600000 NS M.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
M.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 A 202.12.27.33
M.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 AAAA 2001:DC3::35
; End of File
You can see the root hints for a Windows Server 2012 DNS server by doing the following:
1. Launch Server Manager from a Windows 2012 server with a full GUI.
2. Select the DNS section. The list of servers in the server pool with the DNS role installed will be shown.
3. Right-click the DNS server to configure and select DNS Manager.
4. Select the DNS server name to configure.
5. Right-click the server name and choose Properties.
6. Select the Root Hints tab.
The name servers should match those in the root hints file retrieved from the InterNIC FTP site.
Using WINS for Lookups
In environments with a significant investment
in WINS, the WINS database can be used in conjunction with DNS to
provide for DNS name resolution. If a DNS query has exhausted all DNS
methods of resolving a name, a WINS server can be queried to provide for resolution. This method creates WINS RRs in DNS that are established to support this approach.
To enable WINS to assist with DNS lookups, follow these steps:
1. Launch Server Manager from a Windows 2012 server with a full GUI.
2. Select the DNS section. The list of servers in the server pool with the DNS role installed will be shown.
3. Right-click the DNS server to configure and select DNS Manager.
4. Select the DNS server name to configure.
5. Expand the Forward Lookup Zones nodes.
6. Select the zone node.
7. Right-click the zone in question and choose Properties.
8. Choose the WINS tab.
9. Check the Use WINS Forward Lookup check box.
10. Enter the IP address of the WINS servers, click the Add button, and then click OK to save the changes.
