How do I set up DNS for an intranet web site?

Question

I have a web site running on our local server, 'OBAMA'. In my hosts file on that server, I map engenxt.local to 127.0.0.1, so typing engenxt.local on that machine itself brings up the website.

I would like other machines to access the site via domain name 'engenxt'. On a Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard server, where would I begin, where should I go, and where should I end? I know precious little about DNS, or rather precious nothing, but am a quick study, besides, that is why I'm asking how to do this here.

Episode 2

When I run DNS as Ryan suggests, it says 'the server OBAMA is unavailable. Do I want to add it?' It adds it, and tells me to choose to 'Configure a DNS server' from the actions menu, but nearly all the actions in that menu are disabled.

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 24 '13 at 12:57

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If you administer the DNS server that everyone in your office/on your intranet is looking to for name resolution, then you can add a CNAME record to the forward lookup zone that represents your Windows domain, like engenxt CNAME IN obama.domain.local, and there should already be a host record (aka A record) for obama.domain.local in the same zone that points to its IP address.

Tons of companies solve for single label name resolution like that for things like intranet web sites.

Now, the technically best way to do it is to set up a Globalnames zone, but with all due respect it sounds like you should start with the basics.

answered Jun 24 '13 at 12:57

Ryan Ries

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Yes, i should start with the real basics. So where do I create these CNAME and A recordsa? And what is `webserver01.domain.local`? `obama.domain.local` seems to make a little more sense. – ProfK Jun 24 '13 at 13:01
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Yes, I edited the answer to say obama.domain.local instead. Click the Start Button, go to Administrative Tools, and then click DNS. God speed. – Ryan Ries Jun 24 '13 at 13:04

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 26 '13 at 06:51

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Ensure that the DNS server role feature is installed. You may do so by going to Server manager, then selecting the Feature node, then click the Add Feature link on the right pane.

answered Jun 26 '13 at 06:51

Brennan Neoh

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And then it magically adds it's own `A` and `CNAME` records? – ProfK Jun 26 '13 at 11:20
@BradyKelly nope. Expand `Forward Lookup Zone` node, then `domain.com` node and add your A and CNAME record there. – Brennan Neoh Jun 27 '13 at 00:32

How do I set up DNS for an intranet web site?

2 Answers2