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In BIND, you create an NS record that points to an A record:

labs.example.com. IN NS ns1.example.com.
ns1.example.com. IN A 192.168.80.50

In Windows DNS, you are first asked to provide the Domain that you are delegating: enter image description here

Next you are asked for the details of the server you are delegating to: enter image description here

When this is complete, you have an NS record that delegates properly. I've been told this is incorrect because in the second window, when I type in labs.example.com. and point to 192.168.80.50 I am not pointing the NS record properly at an A record (as in the BIND example above). I'm told I should create an A record such as ns1.example.com. pointing to 192.168.80.50 first and then use this information when creating the NS record.

Both work, so which one is the correct way to do it? or does it even matter? What are the disadvantages to setting it up the way I've noted in the images?

I am not a huge Windows user, so I am not completely clear on the difference in how Windows DNS handles these two configurations.

UPDATE: According to dig, there is still both an A and an NS record with both methods.

Setting it up without an accompanying A record:

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;labs.example.com.            IN      NS

;; ANSWER SECTION:
labs.example.com.     3600    IN      NS     labs.example.com.

;; ADDITIONAL SECTION:
labs.example.com.    3600    IN      A       192.168.80.50

With an accompanying A record:

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;labs.example.com.            IN      NS

;; ANSWER SECTION:
labs.example.com.     3600    IN      NS    ns1.example.com.

;; ADDITIONAL SECTION:
ns1.example.com.    3600    IN      A       192.168.80.50
MaQleod
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  • to the other people looking at this post for help, the second image would have been more useful if the FQDN was set to "ns1.example.com.", instead of "labs.example.com" – Pere Dec 18 '19 at 14:51

1 Answers1

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I do not think that it matters, as long as you can resolve it properly, and the NS entry is in place.

MichelZ
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  • As a point of being practical, I agree with you. If it works, it works. However, you don't really answer the question. If it doesn't matter, why? what exactly does Windows Server do internally to create that link? If you see my update, it appears to generate and return an A record, even if it doesn't show up in the A record list in the management console. What I'm unclear about is if that sort of "shortcut" would pose an issue under any circumstances, or if it is perfectly valid and OK to do. – MaQleod May 15 '14 at 15:48