Windows Server 8 - DNS Management Console ~ My blog about Active Directory and everything else

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Windows Server 8 - DNS Management Console

I have to begin this post with the normal caveat that this is only the developers preview build that I'm testing with and things may change.

When I promoted my Windows Server 8 to become a domain controller I also installed DNS. As most people know AD has to have DNS in order to work. Most places use Microsoft DNS but you can also use BIND and others but I decided to stick with Microsoft.

After the DC was installed and rebooted I was able to access all the normal AD management consoles such as AD Users & Computers, Sites and Services, Domains and Trusts, AD Administrative Center and others.

I went to look at DNS and could not load the DNS management console.

I verified that the DNS feature had been installed.


I tried to add the DNS console via the MMC snap-in but it was missing.


I tried to run the dnsmgmt.msc command and again no luck


This could not be right and I had to be missing something. I decided to go look into the roles and features. Once again I verified that DNS was installed


I went into the features and looked at the Remote Server Administration Tools(RSAT) settings. I noticed that the DNS Server Tools were not checked/installed.


I checked the box to install the tools and just had to verify and install. This feature did not require a server reboot.


I once again tried to add the DNS tools via the MMC snap-in and this time voila it was there


I verified that dnsmgmt.msc would also work from the command line.



As you can see below the DNS management tools are now accessible and this is what it looks like in Windows Server 8 Developers Preview.


7 comments:

  1. That's too bad :( But as you said, it's pre-beta release, so maybe MS will change that (?) Many "non-experience" or new to Windows Server 8 admins would have problem with running DNS Management console :/

    I read your post and now I know what to do if that snap-in will be missing :)

    Thanks for that post, Mike. It's really good and useful.

    Regards,
    Krzysztof

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  2. I'm guessing that will be changed but someone left a comment in another post that they installed IPAM and that got them the console too. That works because IPAM installs the DNS tools.

    ....another post in the future about IPAM :)

    Thanks for being a reader Krzysztof!

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  3. Thanks for writting posts Mike :) Without them I would have nothing to read ;)

    This is interesting blog with very good posts and valuable links! That's good place to learn new stuff :)

    Krzysztof

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  4. Hello!
    Maybe it is just the possibility to install (or not) the service (DNS) and the service management tool (DNS console) separately? As long as you know about it, this doesn't seem senseless for me - when you manage it all remotely.
    But it's just guessing.

    Thanks for such interesting notes anyway.

    Regards,

    yacoob

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  5. @yacoob, yes it is definitely able to install the DNS management separately and you make and excellent point about remote management. On a desktop/admin box you would just install the consoles you need.

    It will be interesting if this changes with the beta. There is also an issue in DCPROMO from the command line. I have not written about that because I'm waiting for the beta.

    Thanks a lot for being a reader and commenting!

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  6. Thanks
    i was missing it when i was try new version of windows server, once again thanks

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