Windows Domain Controller and XP Workstation

Question

This is probably the simplest question ever, but as usual typing a question on SF clears things up in my mind.

I am setting up a DC using Windows Server 2008 R2 (after a hard drive failure) and have in the process setup a separate DNS server which also runs on Windows Server 2008 R2. For this example the DNS server has an IP address of:

192.168.1.50

All of our workstations have static IP addresses with the following style IP:

IP: 192.168.1.XXX
Subnet: 255.255.255.0
DNS: 192.168.1.50

So as per usual I would add a new workstation by joining it to the domain after setting the above IP settings.

Whenever I have had minor problems in the past getting a workstation to join a domain it's been caused by the incorrect DNS IP being entered.

So, my question:

If I have the following servers (and IP's):

DNS Server / 192.168.1.50
DC Server  / 192.168.1.51
File Server/ 192.168.1.52

Backup DNS Server     / 192.168.1.60
Additional DC Server  / 192.168.1.61

Am I right in setting an example workstation up with the following:

IP: 192.168.1.14
Subnet: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.1.99 (Router)

DNS1: 192.168.1.50
DNS2: 192.168.1.60

and just ensuring all servers are joined to the domain?

Also, what DNS server should be entered for all servers (including the DNS servers themselves)? I'm thinking they would match a workstations setup i.e. with the static IP addresses of the two DNS servers rather than 127.0.0.1 etc. for the DNS servers themselves.

Answer 1

In short - Yes.

Your setup for the workstations looks right.

The servers are the same - the DNS Resolver functionality is completely independent of the DNS Server, and can be configured to perform lookups via a resolver installed on the same server. You're right that you should use the LAN IP's rather than the Loopback IP on each of the DNS Servers. Providing Windows Firewall is correctly configured on each server, this will work as desired.