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Name Services in Windows 2000
DNS is the name service of Windows 2000. It is by design a highly reliable,
hierarchical, distributed, and scalable database. Windows 2000 clients use DNS for
name resolution and service location, including locating domain controllers for
logon.
Downlevel clients (Windows NT 3.5 and 3.51, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 95, and
Windows 98), however, rely on NetBIOS which can use NBNS (WINS), broadcast
or flat LmHosts file. In particular, the NetBIOS name service is used for domain
controller location.
Since DNS as implemented in Windows 2000 is Windows Internet Name Services
(WINS)-aware, a combination of both DNS and WINS can be used in a mixed
environment to achieve maximum efficiency in locating various network services
and resources. Additionally, WINS in a legacy or mixed environment plays an
important interoperability role while also preserving current investment.
Windows NT 4.0–based clients can register themselves in Windows 2000 WINS
and Windows 2000–based clients can register in Windows NT 4.0 WINS.
Standards and Additional Reading
The following documents are of interest in the context of the Windows 2000 DNS
Server implementation. They are combined in two categories. A RFC—Request For
Comments—is a standard document, while Draft is work in progress that can
become a standard.
RFCs:
• 1034 Domain Names—Concepts and Facilities
• 1035 Domain Names—Implementation and Specification
• 1123 Requirements for Internet Hosts—Application and Support
• 1886 DNS Extensions to Support IP Version 6
• 1995 Incremental Zone Transfer in DNS
• 1996 A Mechanism for Prompt DNS Notification of Zone Changes
• 2136 Dynamic Updates in the Domain Name System (DNS UPDATE)
• 2181 Clarifications to the DNS Specification
• 2308 Negative Caching of DNS Queries (DNS NCACHE)
Drafts:
• Draft-ietf-dnsind-rfc2052bis-02.txt (A DNS RR for Specifying the Location of
Services (DNS SRV))
• Draft-skwan-utf8-dns-02.txt (Using the UTF-8 Character Set in the Domain
Name System)
• Draft-ietf-dhc-dhcp-dns-08.txt (Interaction between DHCP and DNS)
• Draft-ietf-dnsind-tsig-11.txt (Secret Key Transaction Signatures for DNS
(TSIG))
• Draft-ietf-dnsind-tkey-00.txt (Secret Key Establishment for DNS (TKEY RR))
Windows 2000 White Paper 2