8.5 Configuring a BIND Name Server to Accommodate a Slave Running the Microsoft DNS Server

8.5.1 Problem

You need to configure a BIND name server to accommodate a slave running the Microsoft DNS Server.

8.5.2 Solution

Although the version of the Microsoft DNS Server that shipped with Windows 2000 Server nominally supports many-answers zone transfers, some versions have trouble with DNS messages larger than 16K -- exactly the kind a many-answers zone transfer might include. If you're running a BIND 9 name server, which sends many-answers zone transfers by default, you may need to add a server statement telling the name server to send one-answer zone transfers to the Microsoft DNS Server. For example:

server 10.0.0.1 {
    transfer-format one-answer;
};

Also, the Microsoft DNS Server doesn't handle some record types, including A6, DNAME, and all DNSSEC-related records (KEY, SIG and NXT), so make sure you don't add those to the zone.

8.5.3 Discussion

Unfortunately, transfers to the Microsoft DNS Server fail nearly silently if the zone contains these record types, making it difficult for the administrator to diagnose.

8.5.4 See Also

Section 3.2 of the file doc/misc/migration in the BIND 9 distribution.