Windows 2000 uses DNS as its primary method for host-name-to-IP-address resolution, but it continues to support Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) for the same purpose. The Windows 2000 implementation of WINS is an enhanced version of the service provided in Windows NT. WINS registers NetBIOS names and resolves, or translates, them to IP addresses. In Windows 2000, WINS includes a variety of server enhancements, additional client functionality, and an improved management tool. The result is an easier-to-manage and more robust solution for mapping NetBIOS names to IP addresses in TCP/IP networks.

WINS Server Functionality

You use WINS in Windows 2000 to support clients and applications that rely on NetBIOS names for communication. The Windows 2000 implementation of WINS provides a more powerful and easier-to-manage service for resolving NetBIOS names to IP addresses. These enhancements to WINS server functionality include persistent connections, manual tombstoning, and improved management capabilities.

Persistent Connections

Typically WINS servers disconnect from their replication partners each time replication is completed. When WINS servers are interconnected through high-speed LAN links, it is usually preferable to keep connections open rather than closing them after each replication is completed. Windows 2000 enables you to configure a WINS server to maintain a persistent connection with one or more replication partners. This eliminates the overhead of opening and terminating connections, and it increases the speed of replication.

Manual Tombstoning

In Windows 2000, you can mark a record for deletion and ensure that the tombstone state of the record is replicated to all WINS servers. Tombstoning marks the selected records as tombstoned—that is, they are marked locally as extinct and immediately released from active use by the local WINS server. This allows the tombstoned records to remain present in the server database for purposes of subsequent replication of these records to other servers. When the tombstoned records are replicated, the tombstone status is updated and applied by other WINS servers that store replicated copies of these records. Each replicating WINS server then updates and tombstones these records.

When all WINS servers complete replication of these records and a specified length of time—determined by the Verification Interval—has elapsed, the records are automatically removed from WINS. This prevents the propagation of a copy of an unmarked record to overwrite a record that has been marked for deletion.

Improved Management Capabilities

The administrative tool for configuring WINS is integrated fully with Microsoft Management Console (MMC), providing a more user-friendly environment for configuring the service and for viewing and managing WINS information. In addition, managing the WINS database in Windows 2000 is easier than in earlier versions of Windows. In the Windows 2000 implementation of WINS, you can do the following:

Filter and search for specific records

Delete both dynamic and static records

Select multiple records and perform an action on them all at one time

Check database consistency

Export WINS data to a comma-delimited text file

WINS Client Functionality

In addition to improved WINS server functionality, Windows 2000 also includes enhancements to WINS client functionality, including increased fault tolerance and dynamic reregistration.

Increased Fault Tolerance

For a WINS client in a Windows 2000 network, you can specify as many as 12 WINS servers for resolving NetBIOS names to IP addressees. The additional WINS servers provide an extra measure of fault tolerance in the event that the primary and secondary WINS servers fail to respond. If one of the additional WINS servers provides name resolution for a client, the client caches the name resolution to use the next time that the primary and secondary WINS servers fail to resolve the name.

Dynamic Reregistration

In Windows 2000, client functionality is improved to allow a client computer to reregister a NetBIOS name-to-IP-address mapping without the need for the client computer to restart. This is useful for situations in which an incorrect static entry exists or in which a WINS database is restored with an old record, for example. The version ID is updated on the server to cause the record to be replicated to the other WINS servers.

Lesson Summary

The Windows 2000 implementation of WINS is an enhanced version of the service that was provided in Windows NT. The enhancements to WINS server functionality include persistent connections, manual tombstoning, and improved management capabilities.

You can configure a WINS server to maintain a persistent connection with one or more replication partners. This eliminates the overhead of opening and terminating connections, and it increases the speed of replication.

Manual tombstoning allows you to mark a record for deletion and ensure that the tombstone state of the record is replicated to all WINS servers. Each replicating WINS server then updates and tombstones these records. When all WINS servers complete replication of these records and a specified length of time—determined by the Verification Interval—has elapsed, the records are automatically removed from WINS.

Management capabilities are improved in Windows 2000 because the administrative tool for configuring WINS is fully integrated with Microsoft Management Console (MMC). This provides a more user-friendly environment for configuring the service and for viewing and managing WINS information. In addition, managing the WINS database in Windows 2000 is easier than in earlier versions of Windows because you have the ability to filter and search for specific records, delete both dynamic and static records, select multiple records and perform an action on them all at one time, check database consistency, and export WINS data to a comma-delimited text file.

One Windows 2000 enhancement to WINS client functionality is increased fault tolerance. Windows 2000 allows you to specify as many as 12 WINS servers for resolving NetBIOS to IP addresses and dynamic reregistration. The additional WINS servers provide an extra measure of fault tolerance in the event that the primary and secondary WINS servers fail to respond. A second enhancement to WINS client functionality is dynamic reregistration. A client computer can reregister a NetBIOS name-to-IP-address mapping without the need for the client computer to restart.