Bug in MS Win2k DNS

[Barry Finkel]

I wrote on Mar 28:
>We have found a problem in the Microsoft Windows 2000 DNS code;
>I do not know if our MSCE has reported the bug to MS yet.
>
>We have a small test zone, w2k,anl.gov, that resides on a Win2k DNS
>box.  Our BIND 8.2.2-p5 Solaris DNS boxes are the slaves for that
>zone.  That zone contains two real "A" records besides the numerous
>underscored Win2k-related DNS records.  When the Win2k box is rebooted,
>the serial number in the zone is reset to a value less than the
>original value, and our BIND slaves will not transfer the zone.
>With only two real records in the zone, I have no idea if it is only
>the serial number in the zone that is being reset or if the entire
>zone is being "restored" from a backup copy upon reboot of the Win2k
>box.

"Walt Brannon" <walt at web-3.com> replied on Mar 29:

>Right click on the DNS  hostname in the MMC. Choose Propererties then
>Advanced.  There you can choose how you want the zone to load on startup.
>You can choose from the standard "Bind" type text file.  Active Directory,
>or Registry.
>
>Your primary can be a standard primary or Active Directory integrated.
>With Active directory you get peer replication.  Modifications can be made
>to any DNS on AD and only the updates get replicated.  This model give you
>much more reliability than having a single master.
>

>I think you will find the bug just died.

And I reply today -- 
I just checked with the person who runs our Win2k DNS test box; he had
been on vacation for a few weeks.  The Win2k DNS box is part of Active
Directory, but it is the only DNS box in the AD cloud.  Thus, the
DNS is not replicated.

It is unclear if MS expects the DNS to be replicated and expects the
rebooted DNS machine to get a current copy of the zones from the other
AD machines.  I will post more details when we have contacted MS.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Barry S. Finkel
Electronics and Computing Technologies Division
Argonne National Laboratory          Phone:    +1 (630) 252-7277
9700 South Cass Avenue               Facsimile:+1 (630) 252-9689
Building 221, Room B236              Internet: BSFinkel at anl.gov
Argonne, IL   60439-4844             IBMMAIL:  I1004994