to convert secondary into primary zone?

Question

_{Sunday, July 11, 2010 5:14 PM}

Having the question [1],
1)
does the correct answer B imply the conversion of  secondary to primary zone?
How to convert/promote a secondary zone into a primary one?
I cannot find such procedure in docs.
2)
Why isn't the answer C) correct? or D)?
Why is the answer B) correct?
 
[1]

Your company has a Berkley Internet Name Domain (BIND) DNS server named Server1 that hosts the contoso.com DNS zone.
You plan to replace Server1 with a DNS server named Server2 that runs Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 (SP2).

You need to configure DNS on Server2 to meet the following requirements:

• Retain all resource records currently in the contoso.com zone. ·
• Allow updates to resource records for the contoso.com zone on Server2.

What should you do?

A)
On Server2, configure a primary zone for contoso.com.

B)
On Server2, configure a secondary zone for contoso.com. Configure the contoso.com zone on Server2 as a primary zone.
C)
Copy the contoso.com.dns file from Server1 to the %systemroot%\System32\DNS folder on Server2. On Server2, restart the DNS Server service.
D)
Copy the contoso.com.dns file from Server1 to the %systemroot%\System32\DNS folder on Server2. On Server2, create a secondary zone for contoso.com.

Answer: B

All replies (11)

_{Sunday, July 11, 2010 6:40 PM ✅Answered}

I don't have an account on techtarget.  However, I suspect that you are asking whether or not copying the DNS file is sufficient. 

To clarify, you can re-create the DNS zone from DNS text file, but as I stated above, simply copying the file to that location and re-starting the DNS service does NOT create the zone.  The added step is REQUIRED is that you have to go into the DNS Admin console and create a new zone.  In the wizard, you would specify that the zone is to be created from an existing file.

Visit: anITKB.com, an IT Knowledge Base.

_{Sunday, July 11, 2010 5:42 PM | 1 vote}

Hello vgv8,

Looks like you are currently very active in researching these network topics...thats good!  Keep it up.

Answer B is the best answer because it supports both requirements with the least amount of administrative effort.  By configuring a secondary zone on Server2, you are allowing Server2 to transer ALL of the records without any effort on your part.  Then you can easily convert the zone to PRIMARY by opening the DNS Admin console, right click the zone, click Properties..On the General Tab, simply click on the button to change the zone to PRIMARY.

By creating a secondary zone and then converting it to primary, you have just avoided having to copy any files from one DNS server to another.  C is partially correct, but the answer is not complete.  simply copying the file into that directory and restarting the service DOES NOT create a zone on DNS.  Answer D is completely incorrect...does not make too much sense.

Now that Server2 has a primary zone, it CAN support dynamic updates.  While it is a secondary zone, it cannot support updates. 

Visit: anITKB.com, an IT Knowledge Base.

_{Sunday, July 11, 2010 6:10 PM}

C is partially correct, but the answer is not complete.  simply copying the file into that directory and restarting the service DOES NOT create a zone on DNS

So, the article An alternate strategy for DNS server backup is incorrect in telling that copying is sufficient?

======================
Added later (the excerpt from the article):

Primary and secondary zones

Backing up primary and secondary zones is simple, because the zone information is stored within a text file. All you have to do is use the XCOPY command to backup the DNS folder. The command looks like this:

<tt>XCOPY %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\dns c:\backup\dns /y</tt>

This command tells Windows to copy everything found in the \Windows\System32\DNS folder to C:\backup\dns. The /Y switch at the end basically just tells the command to go ahead and do its thing without prompting you to make sure that it is OK.

Restoring the primary and secondary zone information is just as easy. You would simply copy the files from the \backup\DNS folder to the %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\dns folder.

Active Directory integrated zones

Backing up an Active Directory integrated zone is a bit trickier because the zone information is stored in the Active Directory rather than in a text file. Fortunately, Microsoft provides us with a command-line tool called DNSCMD.EXE that can get the job done.

_{Monday, July 12, 2010 4:22 AM}

Having the question [1],
1)
does the correct answer B imply the conversion of  secondary to primary zone?
How to convert/promote a secondary zone into a primary one?
I cannot find such procedure in docs.
2)
Why isn't the answer C) correct? or D)?
Why is the answer B) correct?
 
[1]

Your company has a Berkley Internet Name Domain (BIND) DNS server named Server1 that hosts the contoso.com DNS zone.
You plan to replace Server1 with a DNS server named Server2 that runs Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 (SP2).

You need to configure DNS on Server2 to meet the following requirements:

• Retain all resource records currently in the contoso.com zone. ·
• Allow updates to resource records for the contoso.com zone on Server2.

What should you do?

A)
On Server2, configure a primary zone for contoso.com.

B)
On Server2, configure a secondary zone for contoso.com. Configure the contoso.com zone on Server2 as a primary zone.
C)
Copy the contoso.com.dns file from Server1 to the %systemroot%\System32\DNS folder on Server2. On Server2, restart the DNS Server service.
D)
Copy the contoso.com.dns file from Server1 to the %systemroot%\System32\DNS folder on Server2. On Server2, create a secondary zone for contoso.com.

Answer: B

I think JM did a fine job answering your questions.

I'm curious as to where these questions are coming from, such as the source or material are you using for these questions? They seem to be great study questions for the exam, at the same time appear to be pretty close to the actual exam questions. Do they also offer answers?

Ace

Ace Fekay, MVP, MCT, MCITP EA, MCTS Windows 2008 & Exchange 2007, MCSE & MCSA 2003/2000, MCSA Messaging 2003, Microsoft Certified Trainer, Microsoft MVP - Directory Services. This posting is provided AS-IS with no warranties or guarantees and confers no rights.

_{Tuesday, July 13, 2010 12:46 PM}

If you insert the excerpt from the question into google, you will find HUNDREDS of sites with such questions (and those hundreds are only those which are open for crawling robots and do not require logging in or zipped).
With answers, kess - without answers, with answers and with explanation of answers.

Working with questions is easier and more effective to me than reading thousand-page books.

_{Tuesday, July 13, 2010 1:00 PM}

I have previously taught IT courses for more than a decade and I would recommend that you consider continuing your studies by in-depth reading and hands-on labs.  I have found that tends to be the best combination for most.  Once you fully grasp and solidify the base knowledge (Ethernet, TCP/IP, OSI, etc..) the rest of it is just "next, next, finish..."

Visit: anITKB.com, an IT Knowledge Base.

_{Tuesday, July 13, 2010 1:02 PM}

C is partially correct, but the answer is not complete.  simply copying the file into that directory and restarting the service DOES NOT create a zone on DNS

So, the article An alternate strategy for DNS server backup is incorrect in telling that copying is sufficient?

======================
Added later (the excerpt from the article):

Primary and secondary zones

Backing up primary and secondary zones is simple, because the zone information is stored within a text file. All you have to do is use the XCOPY command to backup the DNS folder. The command looks like this:

<tt>XCOPY %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\dns c:\backup\dns /y</tt>

This command tells Windows to copy everything found in the \Windows\System32\DNS folder to C:\backup\dns. The /Y switch at the end basically just tells the command to go ahead and do its thing without prompting you to make sure that it is OK.

Restoring the primary and secondary zone information is just as easy. You would simply copy the files from the \backup\DNS folder to the %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\dns folder.

I have not quite understood about xcopying. 
Wouldn't zone recreation overwrite copied previously txt (.dns) zone files?
and copying after creating zone - overwrite zone definition?

_{Tuesday, July 13, 2010 1:14 PM}

If you insert the excerpt from the question into google, you will find HUNDREDS of sites with such questions (and those hundreds are only those which are open for crawling robots and do not require logging in or zipped).
With answers, kess - without answers, with answers and with explanation of answers.

Working with questions is easier and more effective to me than reading thousand-page books.

Yes, I am fully aware of that. Unfortunately those links and resources are mostly (99.9%) dumps that first, go against Microsoft's NDAs, and secondly, I don't condone. Also having taught Microsoft IT courses since 1997 (I'm a Microsofrt Certified Trainer), I agree with JM that hard work studying the material with the hands on labs (creating virtual labs on your XP Home machine), in addition to attending courses to actually get the instructor's point of view, as well as interacting and collaborating with other students that may also be in the IT field to gain their presepective, provides a greater understanding and everything else will just fall in place.

Ace

Ace Fekay, MVP, MCT, MCITP EA, MCTS Windows 2008 & Exchange 2007, MCSE & MCSA 2003/2000, MCSA Messaging 2003, Microsoft Certified Trainer, Microsoft MVP - Directory Services. This posting is provided AS-IS with no warranties or guarantees and confers no rights.

_{Tuesday, July 13, 2010 1:16 PM}

XCOPY %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\dns c:\backup\dns /y

This command basically copies the text file from the DNS Source folder to a custom backup folder.  The "/y" will suppress the prompting to overwrite the file located in the backup folder.   Without the "/y", you will be prompted to overwrite the previous copy that you may have placed in the backup folder. 

Now that you have a copy in the backup folder, you can restore it when needed.

Let's say DNS crashes or something to that effect.  You can always re-install the DNS service.  You would then take the backup copy of your zone, copy it back to the System32\DNS folder.  Then in the DNS admin tool, start the wizard to create a new zone.  When prompted for the text file, choose the option that you already have a text file.  Click the browse button and select the DNS text file in the System32\DNs location.  When the wizard completes, the zone will load.

Visit: anITKB.com, an IT Knowledge Base.

_{Tuesday, July 13, 2010 1:16 PM}

I have previously taught IT courses for more than a decade and I would recommend that you consider continuing your studies by in-depth reading and hands-on labs

Me too.
I prefer reading and understanding before passing to hands-on labs to mechanically repeat the steps without understanding what you are doing.

Then, I prefere teaching as the best way of learning things in depth.

_{Tuesday, July 13, 2010 1:23 PM}

When prompted for the text file

Ah, sorry for re-questioning, you had written it before