Tutorial / Cram Notes
Understanding how to create and manage DNS zones and records in Azure is important for the design and implementation of network solutions within Azure.
Azure DNS Overview
Azure DNS provides a reliable, secure DNS service to manage and resolve domain names in a cost-effective manner. When setting up Azure DNS, you create DNS zones that host the DNS records for your domain.
Creating a DNS Zone
To get started with Azure DNS, you first create a DNS zone for your domain.
- In the Azure portal, go to the Azure DNS service by searching for “DNS zones” in the service search box.
- Click on ‘Add’ to create a new DNS zone.
- Enter the name of the domain for which you want to create the zone.
- Select the subscription, resource group, and location.
- Click ‘Review + Create’ and then ‘Create’ to provision the DNS zone.
Adding DNS Records
With a DNS zone created, you can begin adding records to it.
- Navigate to the DNS zone you have created.
- In the DNS zone pane, click on ‘+ Record set’.
- Enter the details for the DNS record:
- Name: The subdomain or the ‘@’ symbol for the root record.
- Type: Choose the type of DNS record (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, etc.).
- TTL (Time to Live): Set the time for how long the record will be cached by DNS resolvers.
- Value: The target IP address or hostname for the record.
- Click ‘OK’ to create the DNS record.
Configuring Nameserver Delegation
After creating your DNS zone and records, you need to delegate your domain to Azure DNS.
- Obtain the list of Azure DNS nameservers assigned to your DNS zone from the Azure portal.
- With your domain registrar, configure the nameserver records for your domain to point to the Azure DNS nameservers.
- It may take some time for the change to propagate across the internet.
Advanced DNS Features
- DNS Zone Locking: Locking a DNS zone prevents unauthorized changes to the DNS records which enhances security.
- DNS Records Import and Export: You can import and export DNS records using Azure CLI or PowerShell, making it easier to manage large sets of records or migrate services.
- Private DNS Zones: Provides name resolution within a virtual network and between virtual networks.
Monitoring and Troubleshooting
- Azure Monitor: Use Azure Monitor to track queries to your DNS zones and to log the data for analysis and troubleshooting purpose.
- DNS Analytics: Gain deeper insights into your DNS traffic by enabling DNS Analytics solution with Azure Monitor logs.
Pricing and SLA
Azure DNS pricing is based on the number of DNS zones and the number of DNS queries. Microsoft provides an uptime of 99.99% for Azure DNS.
In conclusion, configuring Azure DNS involves creating a DNS zone, adding DNS records, delegating your domain to use Azure DNS, and utilizing advanced features to secure and optimize your DNS setup. Regular monitoring and analysis are essential to maintain DNS health, and an understanding of pricing helps in cost-effective management. With these steps, you can ensure your Azure-powered applications are reliably accessible via domain name resolution, a necessity for success in the AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator exam.
Practice Test with Explanation
True or False: In Azure DNS, you can manage DNS zones for both public and private domains.
- True
Azure DNS supports hosting your public and private DNS zones and allows you to manage DNS records for your domains.
True or False: Azure DNS does not support automatic scaling.
- False
Azure DNS benefits from the scalability, performance, and availability of Microsoft’s global network infrastructure, offering automatic scaling to handle DNS query traffic.
Which of the following record types are supported by Azure DNS? (Select all that apply)
- A) A
- B) AAAA
- C) PTR
- D) SRV
Azure DNS supports all the mentioned record types: A, AAAA, PTR, and SRV, among others.
True or False: You can delegate a subdomain to a different DNS provider while using Azure DNS for the parent domain.
- True
Azure DNS allows you to delegate your subdomains to other DNS servers or providers by using NS records.
To create a DNS zone in Azure DNS, which of the following Azure CLI command is correct?
- A) az network dns zone create
- B) az dns zone create
- C) az network dns create-zone
- D) az create dns-zone
The correct Azure CLI command to create a DNS zone in Azure DNS is `az network dns zone create`.
True or False: Azure DNS provides a Service-Level Agreement (SLA) of 100% uptime.
- False
While Azure DNS is designed for high availability, the Service-Level Agreement (SLA) provided by Microsoft does not guarantee 100% uptime. The actual SLA should be checked in the Azure SLA documentation as it is subject to change.
How long is the default TTL for DNS records in Azure DNS if not specified during record creation?
- A) 1 hour
- B) 24 hours
- C) 48 hours
- D) 5 minutes
If not specified, the default TTL for DNS records in Azure DNS is 1 hour.
True or False: You need to configure a custom domain in Azure App Service before you can manage its DNS records in Azure DNS.
- True
You need to configure a custom domain with your Azure App Service before managing DNS records for it in Azure DNS. This involves domain verification and setting the appropriate DNS records.
Which of the following is NOT a feature of Azure DNS?
- A) Hosting of DNS zones
- B) DNS analytics
- C) Email hosting
- D) Traffic management using Traffic Manager profiles
Azure DNS does not provide email hosting services. It is a hosting service for DNS zones and also offers features like DNS analytics and traffic management using Traffic Manager profiles.
True or False: Azure DNS Private Zones are accessible from the internet.
- False
Azure DNS Private Zones are designed for internal network operations within a private network and are not accessible from the internet.
In Azure DNS, what is the purpose of an Alias record?
- A) To ensure automatic failover
- B) To map a domain to another domain
- C) To redirect traffic based on geographic location
- D) To provide reverse DNS lookup
An Alias record in Azure DNS is used to map a domain to another domain without the need for a static IP address.
True or False: Once set up, DNS records in Azure DNS cannot be modified or deleted.
- False
DNS records in Azure DNS can be modified or deleted as required. You have full control over the DNS records and can make changes through the Azure portal, Azure CLI, PowerShell, or the REST API.
Interview Questions
What is Azure DNS and what are its features?
Azure DNS is a cloud-based domain name system (DNS) service that provides a reliable and secure way to manage DNS records in the cloud. Its features include global availability, scalability, security, and simple management.
What is Private DNS in Azure?
Private DNS in Azure is a DNS service that is used to resolve names within a virtual network. It provides a secure way to resolve names without exposing them to the public internet.
How do I get started with Azure DNS using the Azure portal?
You can get started with Azure DNS using the Azure portal by creating a new DNS zone, creating DNS records, and updating the DNS settings for your domain name.
What is DNS caching and why is it important?
DNS caching is the process of storing the results of DNS queries in memory for a certain period of time. It is important because it can reduce the number of DNS queries and improve performance.
What is DNSSEC and how does it help protect against DNS spoofing?
DNSSEC is a security extension for the DNS protocol that provides a way to digitally sign DNS records. It helps protect against DNS spoofing by verifying the authenticity of the DNS records.
How does Azure DNS support custom domain names?
Azure DNS supports custom domain names, which can be used instead of the default Azure-provided domain name.
What is DNS delegation and how is it used with Azure DNS?
DNS delegation is the process of delegating a DNS zone to another DNS server. It is used with Azure DNS to delegate your DNS zone to Azure DNS.
What is the purpose of name resolution in virtual networks?
Name resolution in virtual networks is used to resolve names to IP addresses within a virtual network. This allows resources within the virtual network to communicate with each other using their hostnames.
Can I use Azure DNS to manage DNS records for non-Azure resources?
Yes, you can use Azure DNS to manage DNS records for non-Azure resources by using the Azure DNS public zone.
What is the difference between a DNS zone and a DNS record?
A DNS zone is a container for DNS records that correspond to a specific domain name. A DNS record is a mapping between a hostname and an IP address, or other data, such as a mail server address.
Can I use Azure DNS with third-party DNS servers?
Yes, you can use Azure DNS with third-party DNS servers by using the Azure DNS zone file.
How does Azure DNS integrate with other Azure services?
Azure DNS can be integrated with other Azure services, such as Azure Traffic Manager and Azure CDN, to provide a complete solution for managing DNS records and routing traffic.
How do I configure a custom domain name with Azure DNS?
You can configure a custom domain name with Azure DNS by creating a DNS zone for the domain name and creating the necessary DNS records.
What is the purpose of the DNS root zone?
The DNS root zone is the top-level DNS zone in the hierarchical DNS naming system. It contains information about the root servers that are used to resolve DNS queries.
How do I configure Private DNS in Azure using the Azure portal?
You can configure Private DNS in Azure using the Azure portal by creating a Private DNS zone, linking the zone to a virtual network, and creating the necessary DNS records.
Can someone explain what exactly Azure DNS is and why it’s important for the AZ-104 exam?
How do you set up an Azure DNS zone?
Is there a way to automate DNS zone creation using Azure CLI?
Thanks for the detailed post on Azure DNS!
I’ve noticed delays when propagating DNS changes. Is this common?
I’m having trouble deleting a DNS zone. Any tips?
What are the pricing considerations for Azure DNS?
Can Azure DNS be integrated with on-premises DNS?