WINS is still required with both Exchange 2000 and 2003

by Mike Talon | Aug 08, 2005 7:00:00 AM

Tags: Mike Talon, Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server, WINS, Windows Components Wizard, Windows Components, Microsoft Windows, NetBIOS

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Takeaway: One of the biggest changes in Windows 2000 was the move to DNS as the primary name resolution system for the network. See why Exchange needs WINS and how you can get a WINS server up and running and configure Exchange to use it.

Since the advent of Active Directory (and its emphasis on DNS for name resolution), many people have labored under the erroneous assumption that the Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) is no longer necessary for the proper functioning of Exchange 2000 and 2003. This is definitely false. Microsoft has clearly stated that for both of these advanced e-mail and collaboration systems, a network will require the use of at least one WINS server to achieve full functionality.

If you're installing across multiple sites, or to a cluster, you probably won't need a WINS server in place to simply install Exchange 2000 or 2003. However, many aspects of Exchange rely on WINS to function properly, especially those functions having to do with cross-site and multi-subnet communications between Exchange servers. According to Microsoft Knowledge Base article 837391, many components of Windows 2000 and 2003 are reliant on WINS, and many of those are necessary for the proper use of Exchange itself.

The root cause of this reliance on WINS is based in the fact that many parts of Exchange rely on NetBIOS name resolution to communicate with other Exchange servers. If the servers are within the same subnet, or you have taken other steps to allow NetBIOS resolution over multiple router hops, you may never encounter any errors, even without installing WINS. However, many larger organizations have instituted networking infrastructure that makes cross-site replication of NetBIOS calls impossible, which will cause many of Exchange's key components, including much of the cluster-aware components, to fail or behave erratically.

As a double-whammy, Outlook clients still rely on NetBIOS calls for much of their MAPI client connectivity. As a matter of fact, Microsoft has stated that Outlook versions prior to Outlook 2003 require NetBIOS resolution to function properly if you�re working with multiple subnets. In short, WINS is not a "nice to have" option, it�s a "need to have" option in those environments.

Installing WINS

As for how to install and configure WINS, the procedure is not difficult at all. First, designate a Windows 2000 or 2003 server to run the WINS service. Then, you�ll need to locate your Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003 installation media and have it available in the machine or over the network. Next, go to Start | Control Panel and go to Add/Remove Programs. Click on the Windows Components Wizard button in the left-hand portion of the Add/Remove Programs window.

Once the Windows Components Wizard (Figure A) is opened, look down the list until you find the Networking Services listing, click on it (not on its check box) to highlight it, and click the Details button.

Figure A: Windows Components Wizard

On the Networking Services details page (Figure B), click the check box next to Windows Internet Name Service (WINS), click OK and then click Next in the Windows Components Wizard dialog box. Finally, click the Finish button to close the Windows Components Wizard, and you will have successfully installed WINS on your server.

Figure B: Networking Services details page

Now, you can set each Exchange server to use WINS by assigning a WINS server in the IP configuration page of the network adapter on the Exchange server. Go to the Properties page for each network interface (Figure C).

Figure C: Properties page for network interface

Double-click the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) selection to open the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties page (Figure D) and then click the Advanced button.

Figure D: Internet Protocol Properties

On the Advanced page, go to the WINS tab (Figure E) and use the Add button to supply the IP address of your WINS server.

Figure E: Advanced settings

Final word

While this will provide you with the basics of setting up WINS in your environment, the proper configuration of WINS can be quite complex. I�d suggest checking out Microsoft�s white paper on WINS operations. This white paper gives you a great overview of how to install and configure WINS in a variety of configurations. You will need to take into consideration where your office locations are (if you have more than one), subnets, network topology, and other factors.

Overall, WINS is a secondary, but sometimes vital component of running an Exchange server. Microsoft is very clear on the fact that failure to install and configure WINS can quickly lead to your Exchange systems and their clients experiencing trouble or possibly not performing some functions at all.

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