Active Directory Cookbook

15.6. Enabling DNS Server Debug Logging

Problem

You want to enable DNS debug logging to troubleshoot issues related to DNS queries or updates.

Solution

Using a graphical user interface

1. Open the DNS Management snap-in.

2. Right-click on DNS in the left pane and select Connect to DNS Server.

3. Enter the server you want to connect to and click Enter.

4. Right-click on the server and select Properties.

5. Click on the Debug Logging tab (or the Logging tab for Windows 2000).

6. Select what you want to log and the location of the log file (the log file location is hardcoded to %systemroot%\system32\dns\dns.log on Windows 2000).

7. Click OK.

Using a command-line interface

Use the following command to enable debug logging. You have to add together the event codes you want logged and specify the result in hex for the log level. The available event codes can be found in Table 15-3.

> dnscmd <DNSServerName> /Config /LogLevel <EventFlagSumInHex>

Use the following command to specify the location of the log file:

> dnscmd <DNSServerName> /Config /LogFilePath <DirectoryAndFilePath>

Use the following command to log only entries that pertain to certain IP addresses:

> dnscmd <DNSServerName> /Config /LogIPFilterList <IPAddress1>[,<IPAddress2> . . . ]

Use the following command to specify the maximum log file size:

> dnscmd <DNSServerName> /Config /LogFileMaxSize <NumberOfBytesInHex>

Using VBScript

' This code enables DNS debug logging.
' ------ SCRIPT CONFIGURATION ------
strServer     = "<DNSServerName>" ' e.g. dc1 ' The log level must ...