Primary and Secondary DNS Server for Zone Transfer in Windows Server

Before attempting this configuration you  should have some understanding on how the following are done or configured in Microsoft window server 2008 or 2003.

• Assigned a standard name to the computers or server you intended to configure with a DNS server.
• Add and install a DNS role to both window server computer configured for primary and secondary DNS server.
• Configured the TCP/IP of the primary  and secondary DNS server
• Created a zone in the forward lookup zone in the server bearing the primary DNS server computer.
• Add some resource records to primary DNS server
• The basic requirements in order to prepare zone transfer between the primary and secondary DNS zone server
• You have two computer or server configured as primary and secondary DNS server  in the network.

To configure a Primary and Secondary DNS server for zone Transfer in window server 2008 or previous. Some basic understanding of Start of Authority (SOA) Resource record is essential.

We are using two window server 2008 computer for the zone transfer configuration, this server are name ascomput01 (primary DNS zone server) and comput10 (secondary DNS zone server) see diagram below for the two window server.

You can see from the diagram representing the two servers, that the resources record in the primary DNS zone server is not replicated to the secondary DNS zone server yet.  This because the transfer zone is not yet configured in the primary DNS server for the domain name that is configured in the zone, in this case the student.com zone

You can see from the two server DNS console that comput10 configured with the secondary dns zone has a X sign because the zone transfer has not be configured in the primary DNS zone that host the student.com domain namespace zone. See diagram below

To configured or resolve a zone transfer in the primary DNS server to replicate to secondary dns server follow the step by step guide

• On the primary DNS server and secondary DNS server – Open a DNS console of both server and verify that the resource record has or has not been transfer to secondary DNS server. see diagram below.
• Expand the forward lookup zones of both primary DNS server and secondary dns server
• Click on the domain Name in the forward lookup zone of both primary DNS server and secondary dns server – verify the records if you have one created in the primary DNS server. see the diagram above for details

Only primary DNS server is required for the remain configuration steps, using the diagram below.

• Right click on the domain zone name in the forward lookup zone of the primary DNS server – click properties
• On the dialog box that appear – click on zone transfers
• Click or select allow zone transfers

Note – Under the following zone transfer options the following can be selected. However this depends on much control you as administrator need to have on how zone are transfer between primary and secondary DNS server and the number of DNS server available in the network.

• Select the any server, for simplicity of this tutorial
• Clicks apply and click Ok

Lastly, right click the domain zone name in the forward lookup zone in secondary server and click refresh. See diagram below

All the records in the zone of the primary DNS server are transferred to the secondary dns zone, see diagram above.

Step by Step mapping network drive automatically from server 2008

  
If you are working with large network you have no need to map network share drive PC to PC, you can use group policy management in server 2008. By this mathed when users will log on his computer the network drive will map automatically. First of all create VBS Script for mapping drive to create this script read my earlier post.

http://computerworldhelpline.blogspot.com/2011/02/network-drive-mapping-scripts.html

Then go to server 2008 and open Group Policy Management 

Select users group where you want to map drive and right click create a new group policy, in this tutorial I have production group. Then edit Mapping Drive policy (renamed new group policy)
  

Then new window of group policy management editor will open select user configuration -> windows settings -> script (Logon/Logoff) and double click logon.

Then click on show files (1) paste your VBS script file in open folder and close it then click on add (2)

Click on browse in add a script then OK and apply

then remove all authenticated users form security filtering and add user group which need that mapping.

Now run cmd and type "gpupdate /force" command on server and users machine then restart user computer and when user log on all drive mapped automatically. 

Installing Windows Server Backup in Windows Server 2008

By default windows server backup not installed in server 2008 before take windows server backup you must install windows server backup tools. To install Windows Server Backup features in Server Manager, you must be a member of the Backup Operators or Administrators group.

To install windows server backup tools follow these steps

1)      Click on start ->Administrator Tools -> Server Manager

2)      When server manager window will open, Select add features form features summary.

3)      Then select windows server backup features and click on next and then select the check boxes for Windows Server Backup and Command-line Tools. You will receive a message that Windows PowerShell is also required to be installed with these features.

4)      Then select install.

5)      Select close now windows server backup install successfully.

How to install Microsoft Loop Back Adapter in server 2008,windows 7 and windows xp

How to install Microsoft Loop Back Adopter in server 2008,windows 7 and windows xp

Some time we need network adapter for testing for virtual network environment where network access is not available. It’s very useful when you need to verify connectivity or test. I am going to tell you how to install step by step Microsoft Loop back Adapter in windows server 2008. These steps will be same in windows xp, windows 7 and server 2003.

Follow these steps to install Microsoft Loop back Adapter :-

1)    Click on start and select run and type “hdwwiz.cpl” command and click enter.

2)    To continue select next in “Welcome to the new hardware wizard”.

3)    Now select “install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced)” and click on next.

4)    Then select network adapters from list and click on next.

5)    Select Microsoft form Manufacture and Microsoft loop back adapter from network adapter wizard and click on next.

 6)     Click on next.

 7)    Now you will be prompted to finish up the installation.

8)    To view and configure new installed Microsoft Loop back Adapter go to run and type “devmgmt.msc” and press enter.

9)    And your Microsoft loop back Adapter is installed. You can rename your network adapter to identify and you can check its ip address form command prompt by type “ipconfig /all”.

10)    By default it will pick default ip address you can change it manually. Default ip will be 169.254.*.* series.

How to uninstall internet explorer 9

If you have installed internet explore and want to uninstall and roll back follow this method and it will be same in windows 7 and server 2008.

1.       Click on start and open control panel and select program and features. You can direct type in start search program and features.

2.        Then click on view installed updates.

3.       Then scroll and find installed internet explorer 9 and now click on uninstall and select yes.

4.       It will uninstall in few second, now you can select restart now or restart later.

How to back up the registry in server

How to step by step back up of registry in server 2008, if you are editing in windows registry make sure you have backup of registry. If any problem occurs you can safely restore your registry. You can backup Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008 by this method. Before create a backup you should login with administrator.

Follow these steps to backup registry:-

 1.      Click Start, and then click Run.

 2.      In the Open box, type "regedt32", and then click ok.

 3.      On the Registry menu, click Export.

 

4.      In the Save inbox, select a location in which to save the .reg file, type a file name in theFile name box, and then click Save.

How to change the listening port for Remote Desktop

Remote desktop listening port 3389 is working by default in server 2008. You can change and define custom listening port for remote desktop. You can define port number between 1025 and 65535.

How to change the Remote Desktop listening port on Windows Server 2008?

You can change remote desktop listening port on server 2003, windows xp and windows 7 by same method.

1. Click on Start and type “regedit” or you can press windows key + R to lunch run and type “regedit”  and press enter  Registry Editor will open.

 

2. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\TerminalServer\WinStations\RDP-Tcp\PortNumber

3. Select PortNumber and double click on it then click Decimal.
4. Find the "PortNumber" subkey and notice the value of 00000D3D, hex for (3389)
5. Type the new port number, and then click OK.
6. Quit Registry Editor.
7. Restart the computer.

Now you can check form other computer start Remote Desktop Connection form start -> all programs -> accessories -> remote desktop connection.

Now type ip address with port of server (IP address:Custom port).

Troubleshooting 

Note When you try to connect to this computer by using the Remote Desktop connection, you must type the new port. Maybe you have to set the firewall to allow the new port number before you connect to this computer by using the Remote Desktop connection.

If you got this message “The remote computer requires Network Level Authentication, which your computer does not support. For assistance, contact your system administrator or technical support”