using windows 2003 dns

[valthor]

At several small businesses where I work we had to install servers to support a specific big app. In order for the silly domain stuff to work, every single workstation required putting the server address (192.168.8.51 for example) in as the primary DNS. Now I presume that every DNS query for every little banner ad etc has to go ask the local server first and it goes out to get the answer on the internet. This seems like a waste of resources. Also I cannot take the server down without interrupting peoples internet service (because apparently the secondary DNS entry in windows is not actually used). Any suggestions for a better way to do this?

[wimiadmin]

Yes.

Are you using DHCP in 2k3?

Set it up so your router/gateway is the secondary DNS on each workstation (I'm sure it has an address like 192.168.8.1). Then when you take down your 2k3 DNS server, each workstation will then go to the router and out to the internet.

There are a couple of ways to "block" the banner ads. You can do this via a Proxy on your network or via host files on each computer.

Here's a great example.

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm