RFC 1912 highly recommends verifying all data entered into DNS name server zone files. One common error with DNS name server data is incorrect formatting of DNS resource records. By using DNS Manager to automatically create and maintain resource records, potential resource record formatting errors are prevented.
Incorrect usage of resource records and entry of invalid data, however, is not precluded by using DNS Manager. Common data errors include inconsistent IP addresses in A and PTR records, alias names in PTR records, and invalid characters within host names. Common usage errors include invalid CNAME records, missing MX records, and incomplete or invalid zone delegation, also referred to as lame zone delegation.
It is not possible to address all possible data or usage errors in this chapter, but information is provided following to help you examine your Microsoft DNS server data files to identify data errors or incorrect usage of resource records for your own specific implementation of Microsoft DNS server.
The following database files are important in troubleshooting Microsoft DNS server. These files are located in the \Systemroot\System32\DNS\ directory.
Table 2.3 Microsoft DNS Server Database Files
Name of file | Description |
Cache.dns | This file is essentially the same on all DNS name servers connected to the Internet and must be present. It contains the names and addresses for the top-level name servers. |
Zonename.dns | This file contains the name-to-IP address mappings for a specific zone. A zone file is created for each zone managed by the local Microsoft DNS server. |
NetworkID.in-addr.arpa.dns | This file contains the IP address-to-name mappings for a reverse lookup zone. The NetworkID portion of a reverse lookup zone name is the network and subnet numbers that InterNIC or your ISP has allocated to your enterprise and for which your server is therefore authoritative. |