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Create the GlobalNames Zone

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

The DNS Server service in Windows Server 2008 uses a special zone named GlobalNames to provide resolution of single-label names. For more information about deploying a GlobalNames zone, see Providing Single-Label DNS Name Resolution.

You can use this procedure to create a GlobalNames zone in an Active Directory forest. You can complete this procedure using either the DNS Manager snap-in or the dnscmd command-line tool.

Membership in Enterprise Admins, or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. Review details about using the appropriate accounts and group memberships at Local and Domain Default Groups (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=83477).

Creating the GlobalNames zone

  • Using the Windows interface

  • Using a command line

To create the GlobalNames zone using the Windows interface

  1. Open DNS Manager. To open DNS Manager, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click DNS.

  2. In the console tree, right-click a Domain Name System (DNS) server, and then click New Zone to open the New Zone Wizard.

  3. On the Welcome to the New Zone Wizard page, click Next.

  4. On the Zone Type page, ensure that Primary zone and Store the zone in Active Directory (available only if DNS server is a writeable domain controller) are selected, and then click Next.

  5. Click To all DNS servers in this forest: <ForestName>, and then click Next.

  6. Click Forward lookup zone, and then click Next.

  7. In Zone name, type GlobalNames, and then click Next.

  8. Click Do not allow dynamic updates, and then click Next.

  9. Click Finish to create the GlobalNames zone.

To create the GlobalNames zone using a command line

  1. Open a command prompt. To open an elevated Command Prompt window, click Start, point to All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.

  2. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:

    dnscmd <ServerName> /ZoneAdd GlobalNames /DsPrimary [/a <AdminEmail>] /DP /forest
Parameter Description

dsncmd

The command-line tool for managing DNS servers.

<ServerName>

Required. Specifies the DNS host name of the DNS server. You can also type the IP address of the DNS server. To specify the DNS server on the local computer, you can also type a period (.)

/ZoneAdd

Required. Adds a zone.

GlobalNames

Required. Specifies the name of the zone.

/DsPrimary

Required. Specifies the type of zone. /DsPrimary specifies an Active Directory–integrated zone type.

/a

Adds an administrator e-mail address for the zone.

<AdminEmail>

Specifies the administrator e-mail name for the zone.

/DP /forest

Required. Adds the zone to the forest directory partition (replicates to all DNS servers in the forest).

To view the complete syntax for this command, at a command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:

dnscmd /ZoneAdd /help