Setup a cache-only DNS server on Windows Server 2003

A cache domain name system (DNS) is a DNS server that builds and stores a local cache of names learned while doing recursive queries on behalf of their clients. Moreover, a cache DNS server is not an authoritative for any domain and does not host any zones.

To setup a cache-only DNS server, you need to install DNS service on a computer that is running a server operating system, for example Windows Server 2003.

You can either install DNS service by using Manage Your Server in Administrator Tools on the program menu or by using Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel.

Installing a cache-only DNS server on Windows Server 2003:

1. Open Control Panel and double click Add or Remove Programs
2. Choose Add/Remove Windows Components
3. Scroll down and select Networking Services in the Components list
4. Click Details button
5. Click to check Domain Name System (DNS) in the Subcomponents of Networking Services
6. Click OK, and Next to begin configuring Windows Components.
   
   Note: At this point, you may be prompted to insert Windows Server 2003 CD-ROM. You need to insert the correct version of Windows Server 2003 on which your computer is running.
   
   
7. Insert Windows Server 2003 CD-ROM and click OK to continue. Or, if you have i386 folder of Windows Server 2003 stored on a network share, you can browse to that folder.
8. Click Finish button to complete installing DNS service on Windows Server 2003.

You have now completed installing a cache-only DNS server on Windows Server 2003.  A cache-only DNS server does not contain any zones. It’s only a DNS server that remembers a local cached names of client queries.  So, for the  server to cache names, you need to configure your clients to use the cache server as a DNS resolver.

Related resource:

Microsoft Support: How to Create a Caching-Only Name Server with Microsoft DNS

Book: DNS on Windows Server 2003 by Cricket Liu (Author), et al.