DNS Zone/Domain Newb question #2

In our lab we have the following 'domains' (I guess you
could call them) listed under the only Zone:

_msdcs
_sites
_tcp
_udp
DomainDNSZones
ForestDNSZones

However, in our production environment we dont have the
DomainDNSZones, ForestDNSZones 'domains' listed. The
only difference is that our lab environment was initially
AD integrated; should those 'domains' exist in our
production environment? What are they?

Thanks again...

Phil,
As you know DNS is merely a way to convert an IP address to a name using
the internal parts of the IP packets. It uses the DNS server to convert this
address to the name when it needs to. The "zones" listed are typically
created by default within an AD environment and are used by the internal
processes of the AD to address everything within AD. You lab does not really
need the zones other than a singular zone file for forwarding (if that's all
you have), and a singular zone file for reverse (typically the network which
it is installed). Typically that is all that is needed, and most AD servers
may eventually ditch the "_" zones over time depending on the masters that
feed them. I wouldn't worry about creating the zones in your production
environment unless there are addresses not being identified somewhere else.
Hope this helps.

His humble servant,
Mark-Nathaniel Weisman
Alaska Division IT Director
The Salvation Army


"Phil" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:1454001c41841$2cdb58d0$(E-Mail Removed)...
> In our lab we have the following 'domains' (I guess you
> could call them) listed under the only Zone:
>
> _msdcs
> _sites
> _tcp
> _udp
> DomainDNSZones
> ForestDNSZones
>
> However, in our production environment we dont have the
> DomainDNSZones, ForestDNSZones 'domains' listed. The
> only difference is that our lab environment was initially
> AD integrated; should those 'domains' exist in our
> production environment? What are they?
>
> Thanks again...