Microsoft has changed the functionaility of DNS Server that ships with Windows Server 2008. DNS Server running on a Windows Server 2008 offers many new functionality. One of them is Global Name Zone or GNZ.
GNZ gives a chance to organizationz to move to a DNS-only environment by eliminating the need to have a WINS Server on the network.
How does it work?
- 1. A user requests a resource by NETBIOS Name by adding the Domain Suffix and then send the request to the DNS Server.
- 2. If DNS Server hosts the GNZ, then the DNS Server will look in the GNZ first for the name and return the response to client as expected.
- 3. If name is not found in the GNZ, then the authoritative zone for the name is checked.
Note:
Unlike WINS the DNS Client must send a normal query (FQDN). If a DNS Client sends a query without the Domain Suffix, the DNS Server will not look into the GNZ for resolution. It will simply discard the request with negative response.