Question : Please Explain Server 2003 DNS Scavenging process

Explain the process of Scavenging and recommended settings for Server 2003, I have a AD integrated DNS with Server 2003 DHCP servers and I keep getting stale records.

Answer : Please Explain Server 2003 DNS Scavenging process

Hi there,

 Scavenging is the process of removing 'stale' DNS records from your DNS zone (DNS records added by dynamic DNS clients) You have two interval to configure:

 The no-refresh interval - this is the period that the record cannot be refreshed by the client, i.e. the timestamp cannot be update refreshed. This basically means that if this is set to 7 days, then the record is 'locked' for 7 days. It cannot be refreshed, and it cannot be scavenged - so it's safe for this period. The main reason for this is to reduce the amount of wirte operations to Active directory ( so a client doesn't refresh it's record and consequently trigger a write operation to AD every time it reboots).

 The refresh interval - this is how long after the no-refresh period is up until the record is considered 'stale' and eligible for scavenging. You must make this period long enough to allow the client to refresh it's DNS record.

 So if both of these were 7 days - say a client added a record today, that record is locked from being refreshed for 7 days, and after that, the client has another 7 days to refresh it, otherwise the record will be eligible for deletion.

 If you have many mobile users who come and go in a day, then you might want to have a shorter interval to save clutterring up DNS with many entries for these clients, when they are only relevant for one day. For example, if a user came and went in 1 day, then settings of 7 days for both intervals would mean that the user's machine's DNS records would remain for 14 days, while it was only really correct for 1 day.

Have a read of this for more detailed info: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc759204%28WS.10%29.aspx