Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in

Creating Alias for a DNS Host Record in Windows Server 2012

This Tutorial addresses:
  • Windows Server
  • Computers
  • DNS
A DNS alias name a.k.a. CNAME is a user-friendly name that is created for public distribution. Since the alias names are very user-friendly and easy to memorize, it becomes easier for the end-users remember and use such alias names while locating the target host computers.

An example can be www.mydomain.com where the ‘www’ would be an alias name for any host computer in the ‘mydomain.com’ domain. For instance, an alias name ‘www.mydomain.com’ would redirect the end-users to C-01.MYDOMAIN.COM computer.

Since it can be very complicated and confusing for the end-users to memorize the actual hostnames which might be very technical in nature, most administrators create the alias names for such hosts which makes them easily reachable by the end-users.

Here is how you can create an alias for a DNS host record in the Windows Server 2012 DNS server:

  1. Log on to the Windows Server 2012 DNS server using the Enterprise Admin or Domain Admin account credentials.

  2. If not already started, initialize the Server Manager window from the bottom left corner of the screen.

  3. Once the Server Manager window is initialized, from the left pane, click to select the
    DNS category.

  4. From the right pane, under the SERVERS section, right-click the DNS server.

  5. From the context menu that appears, click DNS Manager.



  6. On the opened DNS Manager snap-in from the left pane, expand the server name (DC-01.MYDOMAIN.COM for this demonstration), and then expand Forward Lookup Zones.

  7. From the expanded list, click to select and then right-click the domain name. (MYDOMAIN.COM for this demonstration.).

  8. From the displayed context menu, click the New Aliens (CNAME) option.



  9. On the New Resource Record box, in the Alias name (uses parent domain if left blank) field specify an alias name for the DNS host record. (www.mydomain.com for this demonstration.).



  10. In the Fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for target host field, click the Browse button.

  11. On the opened Browse box, from the displayed list, double-click the server name. (DC-
    01.MYDOMAIN.COM for this demonstration.).

  12. Double-click the Forward Lookup Zones container.

  13. Double-click the domain name. (MYDOMAIN.COM for this demonstration.).

  14. From the displayed list, click to select the host for which this alias is being created.



  15. Once selected, click OK.

  16. Back on the New Resource Record box, click OK to create a new alias for the specified host.



  17. Back on the DNS Manager snap-in, right-click the server name. (DC-01.MYDOMAIN.COM for this demonstration.).

  18. From the displayed context menu, go to All Tasks, and click Restart from the submenu that appears.



  19. Wait till the DNS service restarts before the DNS server starts working using the modified settings.

    Can't find your answer ? Ask !