Internal DNS settings to external subdomain

Question

I have a Windows Server 2012 R2 server, I'll call it DC1. My AD Domain is example.local.

I have created a DNS Forward Lookup Zone for "subdomain.example.com" (external domain which I have bought) My external domain, example.com, is hosted with GoDaddy. The A record points to the web server, which I have also bought.

I'm trying to get my dns zone (hosted on my internal server), to forward to my external subdomain, subdomain.example.com, so that I can create DNS records on my local server, and they will be the same on the external server when I use them.

Eg. I want it so that if I create an A record pointing to the IP 001.200.003.400 on my internal server (DC1), it will be available externally, without changing my DNS.

I've tried different things, like having an A record on my external server point to the external IP of my internal server, but it will not work.

Will I need to try something with nameservers?

PS: I manage my external dns with CloudFlare.

Please help,

Dan :)

Answer 1

Internal DNS records are manage with internal DNS servers (AD DNS) - yes you can create internal records to access external servers - this records will be accessed by internal computers on your network.

External DNS records are manage with external DNS servers (CloudFlare DNS) - this records will be accessed by external computers outside your internal network.

You can publish internal services using external DNS records ( you need to own those IPs that you will publish externally) then create a firewall rule for that internal server that you want to access externally through the external DNS servers record.

Example :

External DNS ---> Firewall NAT/PAT ---> Internal server

Internal DNS ---> Firewall ---> External server