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heydude

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Second DNS Server

We are running windows server 2003 AD on our domain with three Domain controllers, one system has exchange server 2007(which is going away, moving offsite). One has dns on it, the other is just domain controller. Lately our dns server has been having issues and throwing our server and client network connections, etc.. off. I'm looking to setup a second dns server so that if one of them has issues the other dns server will allow the network to function correctly(redundancy)? I'm not sure what the issue is yet, but  the computers are unable to find servers, login's don't work, etc..  I restart the server and things are fine. Looking for information on how to do this.

Thanks!
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DCMBS
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I think you will have to resolve your network problems before you try adding a backup DNS server.  The Backup DNS will probably not help with this issue as it will only respond if the first DNS goes completely offline, if the primary DNS is on line and responding even with errors the secondary DNS will not be queried.
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leegclystvale
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heydude

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Sorry! That is kind of what I am looking to do. If I took one dns offline the other dns server would take over.
Obviously the DNS will be getting it's info from AD, so may well poison your DNS you've just setup. I would suggest trying a few clients on the second DNS server and make their 2nd DNS server the existing primary one.
redundancy here is a bit rubbish as it will only look at 2nd server for DNS if it can't find the first. If the first is on, it will try and use that and give you whatever the server has stored for it's DNS records, right or wrong.
Again configure a few clients, point to new dns as primary and existin DNS as secondary.See how that goes.  
I still think you should concentrate on resovling the network problems first.  This doesn't look like a DNS issue to me.  The DNS server cannot throw client connections off the domain.  this looks like a domain controller issue.  I think it is highly probable that even after adding a secondary DNS server you will, still have the same problems.  If you fix it by rebooting the DBNS server (Which you say is also a DC) it is probably the rebooting of the DC which is fixing the problem.
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Doesn't seem to be a problem with the network, anyone logged in before the dns server starts going south is fine(internet, email, network folders). If somebody logs out and in, or tries to login when the dns server is down they have problems(No computers can find other computers because the dns is down). I was hoping that if the first dns server goes down, or if I take it offline to work on it, the second one will take over. Which seems like that will happen.
Thats a bit different to what you said initially.

>> throwing our server and client network connections, etc.. off.

What you describe now could be a DNS issue.

Yes that will happen. The second server will kick in but only if the 1st server is uncontactable (if that's a word!)
Once installed and configured and you're happy it's servicing DNS properly, may be worth installing DNS again on the existing primary server.
Let me know how you get on with this and whether it is more stable than the primary DNS server.
Regards
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ASKER

Not really different from what was described. The question was about setting up a second dns server regardless.
True!
heydude, How are you getting on with it anyway? Success?
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ASKER

leegclystvale,

I am on my way in now. I will post back once I have everything going.

Thanks!
Cool. I'm here for the next few hours too. cheers
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ASKER

Everything seemed to go ok.

Thanks!
Glad to help. Cheers