Windows 2008 dns server can't find his own host name

Question

I'm working on configuring a DNS server for a small network. I installed the server, added the DNS role, I configured two forwarders (provided by the ISP) and the clients pick the server up as a DNS server. Everything seems to be working except his own host name (malam1).

This is on a windows client:

C:\Users\Henk>nslookup malam1
Server:  malam1
Address:  192.168.2.1

*** malam1 can't find malam1: Server failed

C:\Users\Henk>nslookup 192.168.2.1
Server:  malam1
Address:  192.168.2.1

Name:    malam1
Address:  192.168.2.1

Linux clients give the error:

[henk@lnxpc1 ~]$ nslookup malam1 
;; Got SERVFAIL reply from 192.168.2.1, trying next server
;; connection timed out; no servers could be reached

I think the windows clients can find the server using netbios, but the Linux clients don't. I can ping the server on its hostname on a windows client, but I get the error message ping: unknown host malam1 on a Linux client.

I did configure a Reverse Lookup Zone with the name 2.168.192.in-addr.arpa. That automatically configured a Pointer (PTR) with the name 192.168.2.1 with data malam1. I also added a Host (A) record there with the name malam1 and as data 192.168.2.1. Nothing seems to work out.

Update

After configuring the servers Primary DNS Suffix, the server malam1 has this configuration:

C:\Users\henk>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : malam1
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . : network.local
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : network.local
                                       Sitecom

A Windows client repots this:

C:\Users\Henk>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : laptop
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Mixed
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : network.local

I tried to do an nslookup for both malam1 and malam1.network.local but none of them seem to resolve to 192.168.2.1:

malam1.network.local

C:\Users\Henk>nslookup
Default Server:  malam1
Address:  192.168.2.1


> set debug
> malam1.network.local
Server:  malam1
Address:  192.168.2.1

------------
Got answer:
    HEADER:
        opcode = QUERY, id = 4, rcode = NXDOMAIN
        header flags:  response, want recursion, recursion avail.
        questions = 1,  answers = 0,  authority records = 0,  additional = 0

    QUESTIONS:
        malam1.network.local.network.local, type = A, class = IN

------------
------------
Got answer:
    HEADER:
        opcode = QUERY, id = 5, rcode = NXDOMAIN
        header flags:  response, want recursion, recursion avail.
        questions = 1,  answers = 0,  authority records = 0,  additional = 0

    QUESTIONS:
        malam1.network.local.network.local, type = AAAA, class = IN

------------
------------
Got answer:
    HEADER:
        opcode = QUERY, id = 6, rcode = NXDOMAIN
        header flags:  response, want recursion, recursion avail.
        questions = 1,  answers = 0,  authority records = 1,  additional = 0

    QUESTIONS:
        malam1.network.local, type = A, class = IN
    AUTHORITY RECORDS:
    ->  (root)
        ttl = 900 (15 mins)
        primary name server = a.root-servers.net
        responsible mail addr = nstld.verisign-grs.com
        serial  = 2013093001
        refresh = 1800 (30 mins)
        retry   = 900 (15 mins)
        expire  = 604800 (7 days)
        default TTL = 86400 (1 day)

------------
------------
Got answer:
    HEADER:
        opcode = QUERY, id = 7, rcode = NXDOMAIN
        header flags:  response, want recursion, recursion avail.
        questions = 1,  answers = 0,  authority records = 1,  additional = 0

    QUESTIONS:
        malam1.network.local, type = AAAA, class = IN
    AUTHORITY RECORDS:
    ->  (root)
        ttl = 900 (15 mins)
        primary name server = a.root-servers.net
        responsible mail addr = nstld.verisign-grs.com
        serial  = 2013093001
        refresh = 1800 (30 mins)
        retry   = 900 (15 mins)
        expire  = 604800 (7 days)
        default TTL = 86400 (1 day)

------------
*** malam1 can't find malam1.network.local: Non-existent domain

malam1

C:\Users\Henk>nslookup
Default Server:  malam1
Address:  192.168.2.1

> set debug
> malam1
Server:  malam1
Address:  192.168.2.1

------------
Got answer:
    HEADER:
        opcode = QUERY, id = 2, rcode = NXDOMAIN
        header flags:  response, want recursion, recursion avail.
        questions = 1,  answers = 0,  authority records = 1,  additional = 0

    QUESTIONS:
        malam1.network.local, type = A, class = IN
    AUTHORITY RECORDS:
    ->  (root)
        ttl = 610 (10 mins 10 secs)
        primary name server = a.root-servers.net
        responsible mail addr = nstld.verisign-grs.com
        serial  = 2013093001
        refresh = 1800 (30 mins)
        retry   = 900 (15 mins)
        expire  = 604800 (7 days)
        default TTL = 86400 (1 day)

------------
------------
Got answer:
    HEADER:
        opcode = QUERY, id = 3, rcode = NXDOMAIN
        header flags:  response, want recursion, recursion avail.
        questions = 1,  answers = 0,  authority records = 1,  additional = 0

    QUESTIONS:
        malam1.network.local, type = AAAA, class = IN
    AUTHORITY RECORDS:
    ->  (root)
        ttl = 610 (10 mins 10 secs)
        primary name server = a.root-servers.net
        responsible mail addr = nstld.verisign-grs.com
        serial  = 2013093001
        refresh = 1800 (30 mins)
        retry   = 900 (15 mins)
        expire  = 604800 (7 days)
        default TTL = 86400 (1 day)

------------
*** malam1 can't find malam1: Non-existent domain
>

Why does the nslookup command sill fail?

Answer 1

This the only server?

Do a verbose/debug query to find out. What about a FQDN lookup, does that work? Do the clients have DNS suffixes to search (since you are doing short name lookup)?

You can debug by doing the following:

1. run nslookup and hit [enter]
2. type set debug and hit [enter]
3. type malam1.mdmarra.local or whatever the FQDN is and hit [enter]

Review the debug output to see what is or isn't resolving properly.

If I had to guess, the clients probably don't have a domain search suffix. But the debug output will tell you what's up.

EDIT: The latest debug log looks like your DNS server doesn't even have an authoritative zone for "network.local". You say you created the reverse zone, is there a forward lookup zone? Is the server running AD or just DNS? Your debug shows that the query for your server is forwarding out to the internet for an answer...which it shouldn't be doing, so it sounds like a forward zone isn't even setup.