DNS on Windows Server 2003, 3rd Edition

Resource Records Used by Active Directory

When you promote a domain controller into a domain, the file %SystemRoot%\System32\Config\netlogon.dns is generated. This file contains the necessary resource records for the DC to function correctly within Active Directory. The NetLogon service keeps this file updated based on site membership, GC status, and site coverage.

The contents of the file looks like the following for a DC named terminator.movie.edu in the movie.edu domain with the IP address 10.1.1.1. We’ve reordered the file a bit to group records of similar purpose together. Note that some lines may wrap due to their length.

movie.edu. 600 IN A 10.1.1.1
ec4caf62-31b2-4773-bcce-7b1e31c04d25._msdcs.movie.edu. 600 IN CNAME↵
terminator.movie.edu.
gc._msdcs.movie.edu. 600 IN A 10.1.1.1
_gc._tcp.movie.edu. 600 IN SRV 0 100 3268 terminator.movie.edu.
_gc._tcp.Default-First-Site-Name._sites.movie.edu. 600 IN SRV 0 100 3268↵ 
terminator.movie.edu.
_ldap._tcp.gc._msdcs.movie.edu. 600 IN SRV 0 100 3268 terminator.movie.edu.
_ldap._tcp.Default-First-Site-Name._sites.gc._msdcs.movie.edu. 600 IN SRV 0 100 3268↵ terminator.movie.edu.
_kerberos._tcp.dc._msdcs.movie.edu. 600 IN SRV 0 100 88 terminator.movie.edu.
_kerberos._tcp.Default-First-Site-Name._sites.dc._msdcs.movie.edu. 600 IN SRV 0 100↵ 88 terminator.movie.edu.
_kerberos._tcp.movie.edu. 600 IN SRV 0 100 88 terminator.movie.edu.
_kerberos._tcp.Default-First-Site-Name._sites.movie.edu. 600 IN SRV 0 100 88↵ terminator.movie.edu. _kerberos._udp.movie.edu. ...