Using a non-Microsoft DNS server

In order to update Windows-based Active Directory-Integrated DNS records, the account specified must be a domain user account with appropriate permissions. If you are not using Windows-based DNS (that is, if you are using the /altdns switch), a domain user account is not required.

Using a BIND DNS client for DNS scripting

The following steps provide one example of how you can use a BIND DNS client for DNS failover/failback scripting.

Go to www.isc.org and download the appropriate BIND DNS client.
Install the BIND client on the target Double-Take Availability server.
Set a PATH statement for the BIND directory to ensure that it runs every time the executable is called.
Create your failover and failback batch files in the \Program Files\Double-Take Software\Double-Take directory and add the following line for failover:

nsupdate.exe “c:\Program Files\Double-Take Software\Double-Take\dtdnsover.txt”

Add the following line for failback:

nsupdate.exe “c:\Program Files\Double-Take Software\Double-Take\dtdnsback.txt”

Create two new .txt files in the \Program Files\Double-Take Software\Double-Take directory.

Create a file called dtdnsover.txt that includes the following.

update delete sourceservername.fullyqualifieddomain.com A

update add targetservername.fullyqualifieddomain.com 86400 A targetserverIP

send

Create a file called dtdnsback.txt that includes the following.

update delete targetservername.fullyqualifieddoamin.com A

update add sourceservername.fullyqualifieddomain.com 86400 A sourceserverIP

send

Modify the .txt files appropriately with the source/target server names, IP addresses, and fully-qualified domain names.
Change the Double-Take service on the target server to a domain account that has rights to modify BIND DNS. Stop and start the service to have it take effect.

Using /altdns

If you are using a non-Microsoft DNS server (such as Unix) or if you are in a non-domain configuration (such as a workgroup), you can use the /altdns option to disable Application Manager from checking and utilizing Microsoft DNS.

Note:

The DFO line is still currently generated in scripts.

To run Application Manager in this mode, from command prompt, enter dtam /exchange /altdns. This command must be run from the location where Double-Take Availability is installed.