To configure entries for Access Appliance DNS for authenticating to Active Directory

1. Create an entry for the Access Appliance cluster name.

   The cluster name is chosen at the time of installation, and it cannot be reset afterwards. It is also the NetBios name of the cluster, hence it must resolve to an IP address.

2. Configure the Access Appliance cluster name in DNS so that queries to it return the Virtual IP Addresses (VIPs) associated with the Access Appliance cluster in a round-robin fashion.

   This is done by creating separate A records that map the cluster name to each VIP. So, if there are four VIPs associated with the Access Appliance cluster (not including special VIPs for backup, replication for Access Appliance, and so on), then there must be four A records mapping the cluster name to the four VIPs.

3. Verify that the DNS server has correct entries for Access Appliance by querying from a client:

   # nslookup cluster name

   After configuring the DNS server correctly, Access Appliance must be configured as a DNS client.

   This is done during installation, but may be modified by using the following commands:

   Network> dns set domainname domain_name

   Network> dns set nameservers IP address

   Network> dns enable

4. Verify that DNS client parameters are set correctly by entering the following command:

   Network> dns show

5. Ensure host resolution is querying DNS by checking nsswitch:

   Network> nsswitch show

   In the above scenario, host resolution first looks at files, and then DNS.

   Configuring name resolution correctly is critical in order to successfully join Access Appliance to Active Directory.