DNS Scavenging is a feature that must be enabled so the stale duplicate DNS records or stale DNS records get deleted safely and after performing necessary checks and balances. However, it comes with its own set of challenges. Administrators managing desktops and laptops have to work with DHCP Lease period and DNS Scavenging no-refresh and refresh period in order to have the systems working optimally. For example, an administrator may configure the DHCP Lease Period to 8 days for LAN connected computers and the DNS Scavenging ‘no refresh interval’ and the ‘refresh interval’ to 7 days each. Such a configuration in DNS server will ensure that the records are not updated too often otherwise causing replication to occur frequently.
Now consider this scenario, our typical roaming laptop users connecting via on campus WiFi network or VPN client from anywhere, anytime. With multiple DHCP servers , VPN concentrators supporting roaming user base and with DNS updates allowed on several DNS servers, a significant number of such computers can get different IP addresses assigned at different times on the same day, resulting in duplicate DNS records. Although the client computers will resolve resource servers normally, inbound connections from management consoles is impacted. This duplicate DNS records issue is very common and impacts MS SMS, MS SCCM administrators who may use remote helpdesk or remote desktop features to troubleshoot issues. The name resolution due to duplicate DNS records can result in connections made to wrong computers. And what about DNS Scavening ? ‘Patience is a virtue’ they say but for how long ? 7 days, 15 days. I think even 1 day of waiting is testing the patience of many. So, Houston, we have a problem.
And here comes Active Directory Client Extensions (ADCE) by Synergix to the rescue. With Active Directory Client Extensions, the DNS Management or rather the DNS Scavening is performed by the DNS client computer. What a concept ! Machines create a mess, machine clean up their own mess. This is like me telling my 12 year old to clean up his room, not every weekend but every time he creates a mess.
Good thing is Active Directory Client Extensions (ADCE) does not require any changes to the Active Directory infrastructure; no need to install any software on any Domain Controller or a server, no schema changes and yet the magic happens. Simply download and install the MSI formatted package on a Windows computer with .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 and sit back and relax.
