Lesson 4: DNS server | what is dns server

In the name of Allah the gracious the merciful

Peace be upon you

Welcome to lesson 4 in

 The Server Admin Course 

I'm Mohamed Elnmr from SystemAC Blog & channel

This lesson is: DNS server

The content of this lesson

We will discuss the following points

1- what is the DNS server

2- how does any server become a DNS server

3- DNS server most popular application types

The practical part

We will take

1- how to set up the DNS server

2- making a test by creating a domain and IP for it

3- verifying from that

Point 1: what is the DNS server?

It's a server that resolves domain names into IPs and vice versa

For instance, when you type "google.com" in your browser

So, your computer then asks the DNS server associated with

about this domain IP 

The DNS server replies by 74.125.29.101

After that, you can access the Google website by this IP

So, there is a big relation between the domain name and the IP

so when you type: www.google.com

you will visit the google web page

Also when you type the IP you'll visit the same page

Point 2: how does any server become a DNS server?

when we install any DNS server application on this server

Point 3: DNS server most popular application types

In Linux system: there is Bind8

In windows system, there is the DNS role of Microsoft company

Now the practical part

We will see

1- how to set up the DNS server 

We chose here the DNS role of Microsoft company

2- making a test by creating a domain zone and IP 

3- verifying from that

1- Installing the DNS server on windows server 2008 R2

Open the server manager 

by double-click on this icon

Select Roles from the left-side

Then click on Add Roles

Now click next

Select the DNS server

Then click next

Click next again

After that click on install

The installation will be proceeding with you now

When the word "Installation succeeded" appears with you

Then click close

Now open the DNS manager

By typing "DNS" in the start button

Then click on the DNS icon as shown here

This is the final step

the DNS role is ready for use 

No.2 in practical
Creating a domain zone and IP 

Here we will choose for example

domain: test1.com

Server IP: 192.168.1.12

We'll add three records

1- test1.com

2- www.test1.com

3- anything.test1.com

First: open the DNS server manager icon 

As we mentioned before

Now: double-click on forward lookup zones

After that: right-click on forward lookup zones

Then choose New Zone as shown here

Now click next

Make sure: it's on "Primary Zone"

Then click next

Type the zone name

Here: test1.com

Then press next

Let this setting as default as here

Then press next

Also, let it as default as shown here

Then press next

Now: double-click on the zone name

That we've created

Now: creating the records

right-click on the domain"test1.com"

And choose "New Host A or AAAA"

Now: creating the first record(test1.com)

let it as blank as shown here

Then write the IP here

Then click on Add Host

Now press OK

Now: the second record(www.test1.com)

Type here: www

Then type the address here

Then click on Add Host

Now: the last record(anything.test1.com)

Here type "*" that means anything

Then type the IP address

Then click on Add Host

After finished, click done

The three records that we've created

Will appear with you as shown here

No.3- verifying from that

We'll divide it into 2 stages

Stage1:

 on any windows machine:

Make your DNS on your machine point to

the DNS server that we've created

On your machine: open the Run window as shown here

By clicking on start, then type "run"

After that double-click on the run icon

After that: open the network interface

By typing this command "ncpa.cpl"

Then click on OK

Then right-click on the local area connection

Then choose properties

Then double-click on the internet protocol version 4 

As shown here

Type the IP address of the server 

That we've installed the DNS role on it

Here for our example, that's 192.168.1.12

Then press OK

Stage2: testing the domain "test1.com" that we've created

Open the cmd console by typing "cmd"

After clicking on the start button

Then click on the cmd icon as shown here

Now: type this command "ping test1.com"

Make sure that: it's replying from the same IP

that we've created and we've added in the record

In the DNS role as shown here

Now: testing the second record

type: ping www.test1.com

Make sure: that's replying from the same IP

As shown here

Now: testing the third record

that was anything.test1.com

We typed here anything such as:

qqqqq.test1.com

Also, make sure it's replying from the same IP

This is the end of lesson 4

I wish it was useful

For any questions or inquiries

kindly contact me

Through the social links 

Or type your comment

I will reply to you as soon as possible

In the next lesson InshaAllah 

We will talk about the FTP server

Peace be upon you

You Could See This Lesson's Video From Here