WINS

Successfully maintaining a Windows NT Server–based network means using every tool that you have on your shelf. In the world of Windows NT Server 4.0, Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS) is one of those tools. Note that WINS will be displaced by Dynamic DNS in Windows 2000 Server, so in reality, you could say that WINS is on its way out of favor. And although Windows 2000 Server will support WINS for backward compatibility reasons, at this point in the Windows NT Server 4.0 life cycle, you are advised to plan for DNS-based network name resolution and to deemphasize your reliance on WINS. That said, this section will provide you with what you need to know about WINS. It will provide little more given WINS’ impending exit from the Windows NT community. And although you certainly need to know WINS basics, be advised that your time is better spent mastering the first two topics of this chapter (DNS, DHCP).
WINS was designed to eliminate broadcasts and maintain a dynamic database providing computer name–to–IP address mappings.
Note: The key point with WINS is its “dynamic” paradigm. Its database is updated dynamically or on the fly. By contrast, DNS maintains a static database of addresses that may only be upgraded by receiving a propagated delta DNS database periodically.
A WINS system has two components: servers and clients.
WINS servers. WINS servers maintain the database that maps a WINS Client IP address to its NetBIOS computer name. Broadcasts for NetBIOS-type name resolutions are eliminated (or at least reduced) because the database on the WINS server may be consulted for immediate name resolution.
WINS clients. A WINS client is a workstation that is configured with the WINS server(s) IP address(es). At system startup, the WINS client registers its name and IP address with the WINS server. When a WINS client needs a name resolved, the WINS server and its database are consulted. This results in fast and efficient name resolution.
At the enterprise level, a network typically has one or more WINS servers that a WINS client may contact for name resolution. In fact, WINS servers may be configured on a given network so that they replicate all computer names to IP address mappings to each other’s respective databases.
Implementing WINS Server on your Windows NT Server network results in the following benefits:
Reduced broadcast network traffic
No need for an LMHOSTS file
Dynamic name registration
No duplicate computer names
No specific need for a DNS server (although dispensing with one is not recommended!)
How WINS Works Out of the box, when you configure a Windows NT Server–based network to use WINS for its name registration, it adheres to the h-node broadcasting methodology. You will recall the h-node refers to one of the NetBIOS over TCP/IP modes that defines how NBT identifies and accesses resources on a network. During name resolution, the WINS client:
Checks to see if it is the local machine name.
Looks at its cache of remote names. Any name that is resolved is placed in a cache, where it remains for 10-minutes.
Attempts to contact the WINS server.
Attempts broadcasting.
Checks the LMHOSTS file (if it is configured to use and check the LMHOSTS file).
Last, tries the HOSTS file and then DNS (if appropriately configured).
You will recall that this process was previously discussed early in the chapter in the “Be Resolved” section.
Note: If a DHCP client has been configured to use m-node name resolution, the client first attempts to broadcast. The WINS server is consulted second.
When a WINS client boots, a Name Registration Request packet is sent to the WINS server so that the client computer name may be registered. As many Name Registration Request packets are sent as necessary to register names. Not surprisingly, these packets contain the WINS client’s IP address and name. Installing WINS serversYou may elect install a WINS server when you are initially setting up your Windows NT server or at a future date. In order to set up a WINS server, you must be logged on as a member of the Administrator group.
STEPS:
To install a WINS server
Step 1.
Choose the Network applet in Control Panel. The Network dialog box appears.
Step 2.
Select the Services tab sheet in the Network dialog box.
Step 3.
Click the Add button. The Select Network Service dialog box appears.
Step 4.
Select Windows Internet Name Service in the Select Network Service dialog box.
Step 5.
Windows NT Server displays the Windows NT Setup dialog box asking for the complete path to the Windows NT Server distribution. Type in the correct path and click Continue.
Step 6.
Observe that the Windows Internet Name Service appears as one of the Network Services listed on the Service tab sheet of the Network dialog box. Click Close.
Step 7.
Restart the computer. When the computer restarts, the WINS server is ready to receive name registrations and resolve name requests.
Note that the WINS service will be configured to start automatically. It may be stopped via the Services applet in Control Panel. Configuring WINS serversYou will use the WINS Manager located in the Administrator Tools (Common) program group to configure your local and remote WINS servers on your network.The left pane of WINS Manager displays the WINS servers visible on your network. Typically these are shown as IP addresses, but it is entirely possible that the WINS server list will display NetBIOS names (if that is what the specific server supplied). If indeed a computer name is supplied, then WINS Manager establishes a connection to the WINS server via named pipes.
STEPS:
To configure a WINS server
Step 1.
Select the Configuration command from the Server menu.
Step 2.
Click the Advanced button to expand the WINS Server Configuration dialog box.
Step 3.
Configure the WINS Server Configuration dialog box.
Note that advanced WINS configuration topics such as configuring replication partners are considered to be beyond the scope of this book given WINS’ limited life before the release of Windows 2000 Server and its Dynamic DNS solution. If you are interested in advanced WINS configuration topics, I recommend that you consult the Windows NT Server 4.0 Resource Kit or Microsoft TechNet.
Configuring WINS clients
If a client workstation has TCP/IP installed, it may be configured to use a WINS server to perform its computer name–to–IP address resolution. This is accomplished when the client workstation is configured with the IP addresses of the primary and secondary WINS servers.
WINS Server on Windows NT Server 4.0 can support the following WINS clients:
Windows NT Server 4.0
Windows NT Workstation 4.0
Windows 98
Windows 95
Windows for Workgroups 3.11 (WFW) with the Microsoft 32-bit TCP/IP VxD installed.
Note: WFW is one of the clients supported on the Windows NT Server 4.0 CD-ROM in the \i386\clients\msclient directory. This is also one of the clients that is supported and configured via the Network Client Administrator application found in the Administrative Tools (Common) program group. Note this client support also extends to the next two clients (Microsoft Network Client for MS-DOS and LAN Manager for MS-DOS 2.2c).
Microsoft Network Client for MS-DOS with real-mode TCP/IP driver
LAN Manager for MS-DOS 2.2c
If a DHCP server is used to supply TCP/IP configuration information to DHCP clients, such TCP/IP configuration may contain the following WINS configuration information:
044 WINS/NBNS servers configured with an IP address of one or more WINS servers
046 WINS/NBT Node Type set to 0x1 (b-node), 0x2 (p-node), 0x4 (m-node), or 0x8 (h-node). For detailed information on node types, you should consult the Windows NT Server Resource Kit or Microsoft TechNet. Using WINS Manager The great thing about WINS Manager is that after its initial configuration, it becomes a reporting tool for you to observe WINS server–related name resolution activity. This service essentially runs itself. To see detailed information about the current WINS server, select Detailed Information from the Server menu. The Detailed Information dialog box appears. Select the Close button to dismiss the Detailed Information dialog box. Since in all likelihood you and I are both going to be living with Windows NT Server 4.0 for the foreseeable future either as the primary NOS or as a background NOS to Windows 2000 Server, it is prudent to drop down to the WINS engineering level and educated ourselves on the detailed statistics that are reported back from WINS.