How would you verify that DNS is functioning correctly for a workstation?

How would you verify that DNS is functioning correctly for a workstation?

• A. Ping a hostname to verify resolution
• B. ipconfig /all to view DNS info
• C. nslookup to resolve names and verify DNS settings
• D. Tracert to a domain controller

Answer: (C)

Verifying DNS functionality means confirming that the workstation can reach a DNS server and that the server can resolve hostnames to IP addresses. The best way to do this is using a dedicated DNS query tool to directly ask a DNS server for a hostname’s address. nslookup lets you query a specific DNS server and request particular records, so you can see exactly what the server returns, which server replied, and whether there are errors like NXDOMAIN or SERVFAIL. This direct feedback helps you confirm both the workstation’s DNS configuration and the DNS server’s ability to resolve names. Pinging a hostname can show that a name resolution happened, but it relies on network connectivity and ICMP being allowed, so a successful ping doesn’t prove DNS is healthy. Viewing DNS info with a command that shows DNS server settings helps you verify what the workstation is configured to use, but it doesn’t prove that those servers can actually resolve names. Tracing to a domain controller tests path and connectivity to that device, not DNS name resolution itself.

Verifying DNS functionality means confirming that the workstation can reach a DNS server and that the server can resolve hostnames to IP addresses. The best way to do this is using a dedicated DNS query tool to directly ask a DNS server for a hostname’s address. nslookup lets you query a specific DNS server and request particular records, so you can see exactly what the server returns, which server replied, and whether there are errors like NXDOMAIN or SERVFAIL. This direct feedback helps you confirm both the workstation’s DNS configuration and the DNS server’s ability to resolve names.

Pinging a hostname can show that a name resolution happened, but it relies on network connectivity and ICMP being allowed, so a successful ping doesn’t prove DNS is healthy. Viewing DNS info with a command that shows DNS server settings helps you verify what the workstation is configured to use, but it doesn’t prove that those servers can actually resolve names. Tracing to a domain controller tests path and connectivity to that device, not DNS name resolution itself.