Step by Step Guide: install and configure a Windows Server DNS Server

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to install and configure a Windows Server DNS Server:

1. Install the DNS Server Role:
   • Open Server Manager, click on Manage, and select Add Roles and Features.
   • Select Role-based or feature-based installation and click Next.
   • Select the server where you want to install the DNS Server role and click Next.
   • Select DNS Server from the list of server roles and click Next.
   • Click Install to begin the installation process.
2. Configure DNS Server:
   • After the installation is complete, open Server Manager and click on DNS from the left pane.
   • Right-click on your server name and select Configure a DNS Server.
   • Select the appropriate options for your environment and click Next.
   • Select the appropriate settings for your environment and click Next.
   • Select the appropriate settings for your environment and click Next.
   • Select the appropriate settings for your environment and click Next.
   • Click Finish to complete the configuration.
3. Create DNS Zones:
   • Open DNS Manager, right-click on your server name and select New Zone.
   • Select the appropriate zone type and click Next.
   • Enter the name of the zone and click Next.
   • Select the appropriate settings for your environment and click Next.
   • Select the appropriate settings for your environment and click Next.
   • Click Finish to create the new zone.
4. Create DNS Records:
   • In the DNS Manager console, expand the newly created zone and right-click on it.
   • Select New Host (A or AAAA) or New Alias (CNAME) to create the appropriate record type.
   • Enter the appropriate information for the record, including the hostname, IP address, or target server name.
   • Click OK to save the record.

Here is an example of how to create a new DNS zone and record in Windows Server DNS:

1. Open DNS Manager and right-click on your server name.
2. Select New Zone and choose Primary Zone.
3. Enter the name of the zone (e.g. example.com) and select the appropriate settings for your environment.
4. Click Finish to create the new zone.
5. Expand the new zone in the DNS Manager console and right-click on it.
6. Select New Host (A or AAAA) or New Alias (CNAME) to create the appropriate record type.
7. Enter the hostname for the record (e.g. www) and the IP address or target server name.
8. Click OK to save the record.

That’s it! You have successfully installed and configured a Windows Server DNS Server and created a new zone and record. Remember to test your DNS configuration by querying the DNS server and verifying that it returns the expected results.

Powershell

1. Install the DNS Server Role:
   • Open PowerShell with elevated privileges.Type the following command to install the DNS Server role:

Install-WindowsFeature -Name DNS -IncludeManagementTools

• Press Enter to begin the installation process.

Configure DNS Server:

• After the installation is complete, type the following command to configure the DNS Server:

Install-ADDSForest -DomainName example.com -InstallDns

• Replace “example.com” with the name of your domain.
• Press Enter to begin the configuration process.

Create DNS Zones:

• Type the following command to create a new DNS zone:

Add-DnsServerPrimaryZone -Name example.com -ZoneFile example.com.dns

• Replace “example.com” with the name of your zone.
• Press Enter to create the new zone.

Create DNS Records:

• Type the following command to create a new A record:

Add-DnsServerResourceRecordA -Name www -ZoneName example.com -IPv4Address 192.168.1.1 -CreatePtr

• Replace “www” with the name of your host and “192.168.1.1” with the IP address of your host.
• Press Enter to create the new A record.
• Type the following command to create a new CNAME record:

1. Add-DnsServerResourceRecordCName -Name mail -ZoneName example.com -HostNameAlias smtp.example.com
   • Replace “mail” with the name of your CNAME record and “smtp.example.com” with the name of your target server.
   • Press Enter to create the new CNAME record.

That’s it! You have successfully installed and configured a Windows Server DNS Server and created a new zone and record using PowerShell. Remember to test your DNS configuration by querying the DNS server and verifying that it returns the expected results.