Configure Instant Messaging SRV Records

Configure Instant Messaging SRV Records

 

The problem

When you configure IM on your network (See Configure Instant Messaging) you must configure user accounts and IM clients. Those users must log on to the IM service by using their usernames and domain names, but not as a regular e-mail address but in a different way:

If the username is danielp and your domain name is dpetri.net, usually, the user's e-mail address will be danielp@dpetri.net.

However, although while logging to the IM client it asks for your e-mail address, usually this will not work for the user, and instead he will have to use the following format:

If the username is danielp and your domain name is dpetri.net, and the Instant Messaging server's FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) is server4.dpetri.net (this server is called the IM Router), then the user's logon name to the IM service will be danielp@server4.dpetri.net, quite different than the user's regular e-mail.

If you want to use the user's e-mail as the logon name you'll have to configure an SRV record in the DNS to allow all the IM clients to find their IM Routers.

Note: To enable Win98 and NT clients to logon by using this scheme you'll have to install the DS Client software on them - Active Directory Client (dsclient) for Win98/NT.

The solution: Configuring the SRV Record

Open the DNS MMC from the Administrative Tools.

Open the Forward Lookup Zone container and double-click the zone for your domain.

Right-click the zone and choose Other New Records.

In the Resource Record Type select Service Location and press the Create Record button.

In the New Resource Record window type _RVP in the Service box and 80 in the Port number box. In the Host Offering this Service box type the FQDN of the IM Router (the E2K server that is used as the IM Router, this can be the only IM-E2K server in the organization). Click Ok.

Click Done.

Under the zone folder double-click the _TCP sub-folder and see if a new _RVP record is available in the right pane.

Now you can change the IM user logon name to be the same as the user's e-mail - danielp@dpetri.net.

Open the IM client, go to Tools > Accounts and change the user's logon name:

Before

After

Acknowledge the warning.

Sign-off the IM client and then sign-in. You can also type the new username.

And if all is ok you'll be able to logon.