Summary

DNS is the name server for Active Directory. By integrating DNS with Active Directory, Microsoft provides us with a solution that overcomes many of the deficiencies found in many DNS products available today. Including the capability to accept dynamic updates from DNS clients, incrementally update zone files, and provide for a fault-tolerant zone master.

Microsoft DNS provides several advantages for use with Active Directory. Incremental zone transfers improve network performance. The multi-master DNS server improves availability by eliminating the primary DNS server as a single point of failure. The multi-master DNS server also improves performance by enabling updates to DNS for a specific zone in more than one location.

DNS is an important service in support of implementing an Active Directory system. There is the capability to use non-Microsoft implementations, but the best solution is Microsoft's for integration, performance, and reliability. Most organizations are faced with the politics of migrating from traditional UNIX-based environments, but a strong push toward Microsoft's DNS will prove well worth the effort.