Windows Internet Name Service
Windows Internet Name Service |
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The WINS management console provides flexibility and control over your WINS network, but in many cases the default settings are appropriate. Logging and migration are two of the most common trouble spots.
Use Default Configuration Settings The WINS default settings provide the optimal configuration for most conditions and can be used without modification in the majority of WINS network installations. When you modify default settings, be sure that the need to modify is clear and necessary and that you understand the implications.
Do Not Modify the Migrate Setting If you use static WINS entries only to support temporary changes on your network, keep the default Migrate (Overwrite unique static record with dynamic record) setting selected in the WINS management console.
When Migrate (Overwrite unique static record with dynamic record) is checked, any temporary static entries that are unique or multihomed can be challenged and dynamically updated by clients. Any later attempt by a WINS client to register a dynamic name that is unique or multihomed over an existing static entry of the same name results in a challenge.
In the challenge, the WINS server compares the IP address in the static mapping to any IP address that the named client attempts to dynamically register in WINS. If the two addresses are different and the static IP address is no longer active, the IP mapping can be changed from static to dynamic and the IP address updated in WINS.
If you use static WINS entries on a permanent basis, you should disable Migrate (Overwrite unique static entry with dynamic entry). This prevents a dynamic WINS entry from overriding a static WINS entry that maps to the name and address of a critical server on your network. This is primarily necessary in environments that include many UNIX systems, which do not register with WINS.
Leave WINS Database Logging Enabled When logging is enabled, WINS logs database update activity temporarily to a log file before writing changes back to the server database file. By enabling logging, WINS can process a bulk set of updates that are logged, and then write back the updates to the server database file at periodic intervals. If logging is not enabled, the WINS server database file is written back to disk every time an individual record is changed or updated.
If logging is disabled, registrations are much faster, but this configuration introduces the risk of losing the last few updates to the WINS database when a failure occurs.
Checking the Log detailed events to event log box provides a verbose mode with even more detail, and is typically used when troubleshooting. It requires considerable computer resources and should be turned off if you are tuning for performance.