How to verify that SRV DNS records have been created for a DC

The SRV record is a Domain Name System (DNS) resource record that is used to identify computers that host specific services such as Name Server. SRV resource records are used to locate domain controllers for Active Directory.

After install a server as domain controller, you may want to verify SRV locator resource records has been created so that you don't have logon or join domain issues. To verify SRV locator resource records for a domain controller, you may use one of the following methods.

1. You can use the DNS Management Console to verify that the appropriate zones and resource records are created for each DNS zone.

Active Directory creates its SRV records in the following folders, where chicagotech.net is Domain_Name of our example:

Forward Lookup Zones>chicagotech.net>_msdcs>dc>_sites>Default-First-Site-Name>_tcp

and Forward Lookup Zones>chicagotech.net>_msdcs>dc>_tcp

In these locations, an SRV record should appear for the following services:

_kerberos
_ldap

2. Use Nslookup to verify the SRV records.

1.	On your DNS, click Start, and then click Run.
2.	In the Open box, type cmd.
3.	Type nslookup, and then press ENTER.
4.	Type set type=all, and then press ENTER.
5.	Type _ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.`Domain_Name`, where `Domain_Name` is the name of your domain, and then press ENTER.

Nslookup returns all SRV service location records that appear in the following format:

nslookup
Default Server: dc1.chicagotech.net
Address: 10.88.78.17

> set type=all
> _ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.CHICAGOTECH.NET
Server: dc1.chicagotech.net
Address: 10.88.78.17

_ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.CHICAGOTECH.NET SRV service location:
priority = 0
weight = 100
port = 389
svr hostname = dc.chicagotech.net
_ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.CHICAGOTECH.NET SRV service location:
priority = 0
weight = 100
port = 389
svr hostname = dc1.chicagotech.net
_ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.CHICAGOTECH.NET SRV service location:
priority = 0
weight = 100
port = 389
svr hostname = dc2.chicagotech.net
dc.chicagotech.net internet address = 10.88.78.29
dc1.chicagotech.net internet address = 10.88.78.17
dc2.chicagotech.net internet address = 10.88.78.18
>

3. You can verify SRV locator resource records by viewing Netlogon.dns. Netlogon.dns is located in the %systemroot%\System32\Config folder.

The first record in the file is the domain controller's Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) SRV record. This record should appear similar to the following:

_ldap._tcp.Domain_Name

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