WINS is an essential part of any large NetBIOS-based network. It provides the equivalent of a DNS server for the NetBIOS namespace: WINS servers resolve NetBIOS names into IP addresses by using the WINS dynamic database to call up the appropriate name records.
However, WINS and NetBIOS together are on their way out—slowly, perhaps, but inexorably. Because of its proprietary and faulty naure, the WINS server's functions will be replaced by DNS servers as the clients that require NetBIOS support fade away. Although UNIX clients and clients from other operating systems have been relying exclusively on DNS for name resolution for some time, Windows 2000 is Microsoft's first operating system that doesn't need NetBIOS support for networking. Thus, a significant period of transition will occur before you can start scrapping those WINS servers because Windows 95/98, Windows NT, and even MS DOS/Windows 3.x clients will hang on for some time. So let's get into some of the details about how to tell whether you need WINS, how to install it, and how to set up replication partners.
If you're asking yourself whether you need WINS at this point, the answer is probably yes. Most large networks will need WINS to provide NetBIOS name resolution for their Windows clients. However, here are some instances in which you don't need WINS servers:
Also, before you implement WINS on your network, you should be aware of the WINS clients that are supported by WINS in Windows 2000. OS/2 with LAN Manager version 2.2c is not supported as a WINS client, but the Windows 2000 WINS server does support the following operating systems as WINS clients:
Non-WINS clients aren't resolvable by WINS unless static entries are added for them. This practice is strongly discouraged; it should not be used unless absolutely necessary because static entries are extremely difficult to eliminate from the WINS database after replication takes place. Instead, clients should be configured to use DNS to resolve names that aren't in the WINS database.
Once you've determined that you need WINS on your network, it's time to configure the server. The most common cause of WINS problems is improper TCP/IP configurationon the server. Follow the steps provided here to properly configure the TCP/IP settings for your WINS server before you install the service:
Figure 6-29. The WINS tab of the Advanced TCP/IP Settings dialog box.
After your TCP/IP settings are correct, you're ready to install the WINS component. To do this, you need to use the Windows Component Wizard, accessible either from the Configure Your Server tool or from Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel. If you installed WINS during Windows 2000 Setup, you can skip this section. Otherwise, use these steps to install WINS.
TIP
Don't install WINS on a multihomed server. You can do it and it will work, but it can cause awful replication problems, especially if the server is on two different subnets. Take our advice, just don't do it!
WINS servers are extremely easy to set up and require little management, except for replication partners. WINS replication is an important and somewhat delicate issue that should be examined closely before setting up. Deploy as few WINS servers as possible to minimize management migraines. For example, the entire Microsoft corporation uses only twelve WINS servers worldwide. Just about every enterprise can get by with a handful of WINS servers.
Chapter 13 contains a more thorough investigation of WINS deployment and replication planning. You can also refer to the Windows 2000 Resource Kit. To set up a replication partner and configure its settings after planning your WINS deployment, follow these steps:
Figure 6-30. The Advanced tab of the Properties dialog box.
TIP
We recommend using push/pull replication on your entire WINS namespace to make troubleshooting replication problems easier. In addition, primary and backup WINS servers must use push/pull replication.