Sams Teach Yourself MCSE Windows NT Server 4 in 14 Days
(Publisher: Macmillan Computer Publishing)
Author(s): David Schaer, et al
ISBN: 0672311283
Publication Date: 12/15/97

11.4.3. Managing WINS Server

The primary tool you use to administer the WINS server is WINS Manager (see Figure 11.13). It is available in the Administrative Tools group under the Start menu.

Figure 11.13.  WINS Manager.

The options for configuring your WINS server are available by selecting Configuration under the Server menu. This brings up the WINS Server Configuration dialog box shown in Figure 11.14.

The WINS Server Configuration section enables you to modify the following parameters:

Figure 11.14.  Configuring a WINS server.

Push and Pull WINS Replication

Although it is possible to run only one WINS server on a network, it is advisable to use two or more servers. Doing so not only provides for backup of the WINS database, but it also reduces the load on a single WINS server if your network is large.

WINS servers can be set up to replicate their databases to other WINS servers. Each replication relationship between two servers may consist of a push, a pull, or a push/pull relationship. The push partner notifies its partner that changes were made and the pull partner queries its partner if changes have been made. You configure replication using the WINS Manager shown in Figure 11.13. Choosing the Replication Partners command under the Server menu brings up the Replication Partners dialog box in Figure 11.15.

Figure 11.15.  Configuring WINS replication partners.

Initially, this window lists only the WINS server you are currently managing. To add a replication partner, choose the Add button and then enter the IP address of the WINS server with which you want to partner. The replication partner is now listed in the WINS Server menu (see Figure 11.16).

Figure 11.16.  Adding a new replication partner with WINS Manager.

Note that the default is to configure a new replication partner as both a push and a pull partner. To configure a partner as only one or the other type, uncheck the appropriate box in the Replication Options section.

A push partner is a WINS server that sends a message to its partners when its database has changed. The partner then downloads the database from the push partner. To configure a push partner, select it in the list of servers, and choose the Configure button next to Push Partner in the Replication Options section. This brings up the Push Partner Properties dialog box shown in Figure 11.17.

Figure 11.17.  Configuring a push partner for WINS replication.

The only thing you can configure here is the Update Count. This value represents the number of changes that can be made to the WINS database before the push partner notifies its partners of the changes.

A pull partner is a WINS server that requests new database entries from its partners. To configure a pull partner, choose the Configure button next to Pull Partner in the Replication Options section. This brings up the Pull Partner Properties dialog box shown in Figure 11.18.

Figure 11.18.  Configuring a pull partner for WINS replication.

You may modify two parameters here. The first is the Start Time, which is the hour of the day that replication should begin. The second is the Replication Interval, which specifies the intervals at which replication should occur.

You also can manually force a replication to occur. There are two methods of doing this. The first is to force an immediate replication. You can do this by selecting the Replicate Now button on the Replication Partners dialog box (refer to Figure 11.15). The other method is to send a replication trigger. You can send a replication trigger by the following method:

1.  Select the destination server in the WINS Server window of the Replication Partners dialog box.

2.  Select Push with Propagation if you want the trigger to be sent to all pull partners of the destination server.

3.  Choose Pull in the Send Replication Trigger Now section of the dialog box.

You can also send a push replication trigger by using this method:

1.  Select the destination server in the WINS Server window of the Replication Partners dialog box.

2.  If you want the partner to, in turn, send push replication triggers to its pull partners, select the Push with Propagation box.

3.  Choose Push in the Send Replication Trigger Now section of the dialog box.

It is generally better to configure a pull partner if the link between the WINS servers is a slow one. In this way, replication can be timed to occur at specified intervals when other network traffic is low. Across a fast link, choose a push partner because replication occurs when the database is updated. This maintains a more current replication.

When configuring your WINS servers for replication, you want to take into account the size of the database and available bandwidth when planning for network traffic. Each entry in the WINS database varies from 40 to 280 bytes. Therefore, each host that registers adds a minimum of 40 bytes to the database for every name registered.