Microsoft KB Archive/321659

= WINS Records Disappear in Active-Directory Integrated DNS Zones =

PSS ID Number: 321659

Article Last Modified on 10/30/2003

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server

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This article was previously published under Q321659



SYMPTOMS
In some Active Directory environments, the WINS records may disappear after a certain period of time (for example, one hour). This behavior occurs rarely and it typically affects large Active Directory environments only. This behavior is only noticeable after you create a new Active Directory-integrated DNS zone and if the first edit of the zone is the WINS Forward Lookup record or the WINS Reverse Lookup record.



CAUSE
If you configure a zone to be Active Directory-integrated, all of the domain controllers that are running the DNS service are authorities for the zone. An Active Directory-integrated DNS zone is a multiple-master zone in which each domain controller that is running the DNS service adds a name server (NS) resource record to the zone and modifies the start of authority (SOA) resource record. If the behavior that is described in the &quot;Symptoms&quot; section occurs, the WINS Forward Lookup record and the Reverse Lookup record is stored in the '@' object for each zone. The '@' object also contains other information including the SOA and the NS records.

If you create a new zone and make this zone Active Directory-integrated, the computer creates a new zone in Active Directory and writes the SOA and NS record to the '@' object for the zone. After the zone is created, a replication is triggered to propagate the new zone to all domain controllers. Therefore, each domain controller modifies the '@' object. If the domain controller in which you add the WINS record receives a replication object that has a higher update sequence number (USN) for the '@' object, the WINS record is discarded. This behavior occurs because Active Directory uses the &quot;last writer wins&quot; algorithm when it replicates objects. Active Directory replication does not check attributes of an object when it replicates changes.

For additional information about the 'last writer wins' algorithm, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

221089 'Last Writer Wins' Algorithm May Cause Loss of Data for FRS-Replicated Content



RESOLUTION
To work around this behavior, wait until the zone is replicated to all domain controllers, and then add the WINS records to the zone. This procedure may take a long time depending on your Active Directory structure and your site design.



STATUS
This behavior is by design.



MORE INFORMATION
Keywords: kbenv kbnofix kbprb KB321659

Technology: kbwin2000AdvServ kbwin2000AdvServSearch kbwin2000Search kbwin2000Serv kbwin2000ServSearch kbWinAdvServSearch

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