Tell me more ×
Server Fault is a question and answer site for professional system and network administrators. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 2 down vote favorite

When I installed Microsoft Small Business Server 2008, it automatically installed DNS and DHCP.

However we simply do not need a DNS server on our server box (we really only use it for file storage and Active Directory).

How do I go about uninstalling DNS, and just directing the server to use the ISP's DNS servers, instead of the server currently handling the DNS.

I also would like to do this remotely, so a connection will need to be maintained remotely with the server.

share|improve this question

1 Answer

up vote 8 down vote accepted

You do need a DNS server on your server box. Active Directory depends on and requires a DNS server that supports SRV resource records. The DNS server installed with SBS is configured to host the AD DNS zone and the SRV records that AD requires. Without the DNS server component, AD would not be possible. Without getting into the niity gritty details of the intergration and interaction between AD and DNS and the various ways to implement such, just suffice it to say that SBS installs the DNS server role by default and configures it appropriately and accordingly to support the Active Directory domain that is created during the SBS install and you shouldn't try to muck with it.

My advice to you is to leave things on the server as they are.

share|improve this answer
Thanks for your answer. Would this possibly be causing problems with there being network timeouts for certain websites, or am I looking at the wrong thing? – Mike Hagstrom May 25 '12 at 0:44
Ah nevermind, I didn't delete the DNS server just added an alternative DNS address and everything works fine now. – Mike Hagstrom May 25 '12 at 0:50
Where did you add this alternative address? If you added it to the TCP/IP settings on the server and/or the clients then you'll want to undo that. Your internal server should be the only DNS server configured for the internal DNS clients, including the server itself (the DNS client component on the server is a client to the DNS server component on the server, just like any other DNS client). If external DNS resolution isn't working then take a look at the forwarders you've got configured on the DNS server (unless you're not using forwarders). If the problem is something else, post it here. – joeqwerty May 25 '12 at 1:39

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.