Create the default DNS application directory partitions

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

To create the default DNS application directory partitions

Using the Windows interface

Using a command line

Open DNS.
In the console tree, right-click the applicable DNS server.
- Where?
- DNS/applicable DNS server
Click Create Default Application Directory Partitions.
Follow the instructions to create the DNS application directory partitions.

Notes

By default, only members of the Enterprise Admins group can create a DNS application directory partition.
To open DNS, click Start, click Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click DNS.
By default, the DNS Server service will attempt to locate and create the default DNS application directory partitions in Active Directory. If the DNS Server service is unable to do this, the administrator can manually create the application directory partitions using this procedure.
If the default DNS application directory partitions are currently available in Active Directory, the option to create the default application directory partitions in the DNS console will not be available.
The following table describes the options available when creating the DNS default application directory partitions.

Option	Partition name	Description
Create a single application directory partition that stores DNS zone data and replicates that data to all DNS servers in the domain	DomainDnsZones.DnsDomainName	DNS application directory partition for each domain in the forest. DNS zones stored in this application directory partition are replicated to all DNS servers running on domain controllers in the domain.
Create a single application directory partition that stores DNS zone data and replicates that data to all DNS servers in the forest	ForestDnsZones.DnsForestName	DNS application directory partition for the entire forest. It contains all the DNS servers running on the domain controllers in the forest. DNS zones stored in this application directory partition are replicated to all DNS servers running on domain controllers in the forest.

Notes

By default, the Net Logon service registers domain controller locator (Locator) DNS resource records for any application directory partitions hosted on a domain controller in the same manner as it registers domain controller locator (Locator) DNS resource records for any domain hosted on a domain controller. Once the default DNS application directory partitions are created, Net Logon will register domain controller locator (Locator) DNS resource records on behalf of the domain controller hosting the default DNS application directory partitions.
For more information about creating and deleting an application directory partition, see Related Topics.

Open Command Prompt.
Type:

dnscmd ServerName /CreateBuiltinDirectoryPartitions {/Domain|/Forest|/AllDomains}

Value	Description
dnscmd	Specifies the name of the command-line tool.
ServerName	Required. Specifies the DNS host name of the DNS server. You can also type the IP address of the DNS server. To specify the DNS server on the local computer, you can also type a period (.).
/CreateBuiltinDirectoryPartitions	Required. Creates a default application directory partition.
{/Domain\|/Forest\|/AllDomains}	Required. Specifies which default application directory partition to create. Do one of the following: To create a default domain-wide DNS application directory partition for the Active Directory domain where the specified DNS server is located, type /Domain. To create a default forest-wide DNS application directory partition for the Active Directory forest where the specified DNS server is located, type /Forest. To create a default domain-wide DNS application directory partitions on a DNS server in each domain in the Active Directory forest where the user running this command is logged on, type /AllDomains. The ServerName parameter is ignored for /AllDomains. The computer on which this command is run must be joined to a domain in the forest where you want to create all of the default domain-wide application directory partitions.

Notes

By default, only members of the Enterprise Admins group can create a DNS application directory partition.
To open DNS, click Start, click Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click DNS.
This procedure requires the Dnscmd Windows support tool. For information about installing Windows support tools, see Related Topics.
To view the complete syntax for this command, at a command prompt, type:
dnscmd /CreateDirectoryPartition /?
By default, the DNS Server service will attempt to locate and create the default DNS application directory partitions in Active Directory. If the DNS Server service is unable to do this, the administrator can manually create the application directory partitions using this procedure.
If the default DNS application directory partitions are currently available in Active Directory, the option to create the default application directory partitions in the DNS console will not be available.
The following table describes the options available when creating the DNS default application directory partitions.

Option	Partition name	Description
Create a single application directory partition that stores DNS zone data and replicates that data to all DNS servers in the domain	DomainDnsZones.DnsDomainName	DNS application directory partition for each domain in the forest. DNS zones stored in this application directory partition are replicated to all DNS servers running on domain controllers in the domain.
Create a single application directory partition that stores DNS zone data and replicates that data to all DNS servers in the forest	ForestDnsZones.DnsForestName	DNS application directory partition for the entire forest. It contains all the DNS servers running on the domain controllers in the forest. DNS zones stored in this application directory partition are replicated to all DNS servers running on domain controllers in the forest.

Notes

By default, the Net Logon service registers domain controller locator (Locator) DNS resource records for any application directory partitions hosted on a domain controller in the same manner as it registers domain controller locator (Locator) DNS resource records for any domain hosted on a domain controller. Once the default DNS application directory partitions are created, Net Logon will register domain controller locator (Locator) DNS resource records on behalf of the domain hosting the default DNS application directory partitions.
For more information about creating and deleting an application directory partition, see Related Topics.

Format	Meaning
Italic	Information that the user must supply
Bold	Elements that the user must type exactly as shown
Ellipsis (...)	Parameter that can be repeated several times in a command line
Between brackets ([])	Optional items
Between braces ({}); choices separated by pipe (\|). Example: {even\|odd}	Set of choices from which the user must choose only one
Courier font	Code or program output

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