While Microsoft's current DNS server is limited, the next release, in the upcoming Windows 2000 Server (formerly known as NT 5.0), incorporates the much-anticipated integration of DDNS with DHCP. We've been running the DNS server found in Windows 2000 Beta 2 in our labs, and it has worked surprisingly well. Enabling DDNS within Windows 2000's DNS service is a simple switch; however, this switch enables the acceptance of dynamic updates without restrictions. Secure updates (per RFC 2137) have not been updated, and Windows 2000 doesn't appear to have the granular control of Bind 8 when it comes to limiting IP ranges.
DDNS security considerations aside, DDNS and DHCP integration will be helpful in many heterogeneous environments. For example, any DHCP-based NetWare shop using Microsoft's Proxy Server faces logging problems. Without integrated directories, logs are generated based on IP addresses, which are often dynamic. By integrating DDNS and DHCP, users' workstations and transactions can be logged by NetBIOS name using reverse DNS lookups. Administrators still do not have DNS-based user-name-to-IP mapping, but we're getting closer to it.
DDNS also provides a much-needed departure from WINS. A WINS pseudo-dynamic environment is based on the announcement and "registration" of all participating clients. In large deployments, however, its scalability and anarchic design can drive administrators insane. Though WINS is usually not the preferred method of enterprise name service, until the release and acceptance of Windows 2000 (and its migration from WINS), WINS will continue to exist in large deployments. One advantage of Windows 2000's included DNS service is that it lets non-NBT (NetBIOS over TCP)-based hosts query and resolve NetBIOS-based names, using the name server as a pseudo-WINS-DNS gateway.
To Microsoft's credit, Windows 2000's DNS and DHCP services appear to interoperate with Bind 8-based name servers. However, in traditional Microsoft fashion, the company has added proprietary resource records to its implementation.
Novell Does a 180 Anyone who suffered through NetWare 4's travesty of a DNS implementation will be floored by Novell's new DHCP/DNS offerings. Novell has come in from the cold by supporting some strong standards-based features, including full Bind 4.9.6 compliancy, NOTIFY, DDNS, and a tight integration between DNS and NDS. Even more surprising is Novell's commitment to standards and interoperability. While NDS can be used for DNS zone replication, NetWare 5's DNS server will work with Bind, NT/2000 or any other standards-based name server. This compatibility allows for tight integration within heterogeneous environments, and adds NDS-only features to those that can use them.
Novell's DHCP/DNS manager is a Java-based GUI that allows for full administration of both services. Like Windows 2000, NetWare 5's DHCP server is also capable of DDNS updates. Our only complaint with these services is that though administration is handled via a Java-based GUI, the tool is a Java application, not an applet. Therefore, it's still somewhat platform-dependent. Novell says this problem will be solved soon.
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