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Finding and viewing WINS records

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 8 Beta

Finding and viewing WINS records

The WINS console provides many methods for filtering and displaying WINS database records. Record searches are initiated in the WINS console Display Records dialog box. When WINS database records match search parameters, one or more records are displayed in the details pane of the WINS console. While a search is in progress, search statistics are dynamically displayed in the status bar above the details pane. Search statistics include the number of records scanned and filtered. When no WINS database records match search parameters, no records are displayed in the details pane. The methods of filtering WINS database records are detailed in the paragraphs that follow.

For information on how to access the Display Records dialog box, see Start a record search.

Filtering records for display

When you create a search filter, you choose from three categories of filters:

  • Record owners - A record query can be based on the name records of one or more name record owners.

  • Record types - A record query can be based on one or more NetBIOS name suffix record types.

  • NetBIOS name and IP address - A record query can be based on all or part of a NetBIOS name, on IP address, or it can be based on NetBIOS name and IP address, including or excluding subnet mask as a search parameter.

You can shape a record filter from all three categories above. For example, in one filter you can specify one or more record types, one or more record owners, a partial or complete NetBIOS name, and IP address.

The properties of each returned record are displayed in the details pane. In addition to displaying the Record Name, Type, IP Address and Owner, the details pane also displays State (Active, Released or Tombstoned), Static (x for static, null or blank for not static), Expiration (date and time of record expiration), and Version information for each record.

Because most names in the database are computer names and computer names are always registered as uppercase, WINS only does uppercase searches. If you type lowercase letters in Filter records matching this Name pattern, WINS converts lowercase letters to uppercase letters before it performs the search.

You can alter this behavior, however, by using the Case sensitive match check box. When checked, the record search is performed matching the supplied criteria, including capitalization.

Record owners

For a search operation to successfully return one or more name records, you must select at least one record owner. You can select any combination of record owners or all record owners.

This filter is ideal for doing full display searches and obtaining either a full or filtered view of the WINS database for one or more servers that own records registered in the database.

Because full database views potentially require WINS to download large amounts of data from one or more servers, its use should be handled carefully, especially on WINS networks where a large number of WINS servers are deployed. However, for in-depth troubleshooting and close viewing of local WINS databases (either local viewing on the same WINS server or viewing a WINS server that is on the same local area network), this feature should not present an overly demanding load for either the WINS server or the local area network involved.

However, if multiple servers are selected in Display records for these owners, or if a remote owner is selected (such as another WINS server that is located on a wide area network), a substantial or undesirable increase in network traffic can occur. For this reason, you should test the impact of a multiple-server search on network traffic before you use it during peak periods, or you should use a multiple-server search during off-peak hours only.

If a search generates considerable undesired network traffic, the search can be stopped before it completes. For more information, see Stop a record search.

When viewing records by owner, you can additionally filter WINS data to be included in the view by selecting and using NetBIOS name suffix types as criteria.

Record types

For a search operation to successfully return one or more name records, you must select at least one NetBIOS name suffix type. You can select any combination of record types or all record types.

The WINS console provides you with the ability to add, edit, and remove your own NetBIOS name suffix filter types. It also provides a predefined list that is sufficient for typical use.

Filtering records by suffix type allows for more precise network troubleshooting. For example, to isolate browsing problems associated with the Computer Browser service when WINS clients are using browsing on a WAN, you can filter WINS data by including only those records that use the [1Bh] suffix type, which maps the domain master browser record for each primary domain controller (PDC) in a Windows NT domain environment.

For more information, see Add, modify, or remove a filter type.

NetBIOS name and IP address filters

Following are some of the methods used for filtering and displaying records based on NetBIOS name and IP address. These filters can be used in different combinations to achieve varying results; however, you must use at least one record type and one record owner for the NetBIOS name and IP address filters to function properly.

Filter records matching this Name pattern is used to query the WINS database and filter displayed results to a limited number of NetBIOS name records that start with a specified set of one or more characters. This filter is ideal for targeting either a known name or similar names that are located on a specific WINS server. For example, you can use this filter to troubleshoot WINS name resolution problems in a wide area network (WAN) by verifying that a known NetBIOS name exists in the data that is stored at any one of your remote WINS servers. This filter typically generates minimal network traffic and can be used routinely for locating the source of "name not found" errors that can result from NetBIOS name resolution.

Filter records matching this Name pattern locates records through either a full NetBIOS name or a specified set of matching characters. For WINS to include a targeted name in the results of a find operation, the name must begin with the exact characters that are specified in Filter records matching this Name pattern. However, names that match the specified search criteria can contain additional characters after the specified string. For example, if "A," "AB," and "AXB" are all NetBIOS name records that begin with the letter "A" in the WINS database, then entering "A" as the search string finds all three records. If you enter "AB" as the search string, only the record "AB" is found. If you enter "ABC" as the search string, none of the three example records are found or returned in your search results.

Filter records matching IP address searches for and displays records that have a specific IP address.

Filter records matching this Name pattern and Filter records matching IP address can be used together to search for and display only records in which the name and IP address match the search criteria.

Filter records matching IP address and Match the IP address based on subnet mask can be used together to search based on an IP address and subnet mask pair. The subnet mask indicates which sections of the IP address are interpreted as a network ID and which sections of the IP address are interpreted as a host ID. The search is performed for all records with a network ID that matches the IP address search criteria. For example, if the IP address search criteria is 192.168.0.1, and the subnet mask search criteria is 255.255.0.0, the first two sections of the IP address are interpreted as network ID, and all of the name records that have an IP address of 192.168.x.y -- where x is any number between 1 and 254 and y is any number between 1 and 254 -- are returned to the details pane. In another example, if the IP address search criteria is 192.168.0.1, and the subnet mask search criteria is 255.255.255.0, the first three sections of the IP address are interpreted as network ID, and all name records that have an IP address of 192.168.0.x -- where x is any number between 1 and 254 -- are returned to the details pane.

For more information about IP addressing and subnet masks, see IP addressing and Subnet masks.

For more information about using NetBIOS name filtering, see Search for names that begin with a specified set of characters.

Result caching

Result caching allows you to download the records of WINS name record owners to the local computer. This provides faster performance during subsequent query operations on the record set. The record set that is returned to the local computer is stored in local random access memory (RAM). If a large record set is stored in RAM, performance on the local computer might suffer, depending on the amount of RAM and the size of the record set.

If your network has large WINS databases and many WINS servers, it is recommended that you test the performance of Enable result caching during off-hours, before you use it during peak network hours.

When Enable result caching is checked, caching behavior varies depending on the selected search criteria.

Queries for records from one WINS server

If you query for the records of one name record owner, with or without additional query parameters, all records for that owner will be returned and cached in RAM. The additional parameters, if any -- such as name or IP address -- will cause the records to be filtered so that only records matching the detailed query parameters are displayed for view in the details pane. New record searches on the same owner's records with the same or different parameters will cause the locally cached record set to be queried, not the WINS server. The performance of these subsequent queries should be high, depending on the size of the record set and the amount, type and speed of RAM.

Queries for records from more than one WINS server

If the query includes requests for records from more than one name record owner:

  • The entire WINS database is downloaded to the local RAM cache if no other parameters (such as NetBIOS name or IP address) are specified. All subsequent queries run on the locally cached record set, not on the WINS server.

  • Only records containing the additional query parameters are downloaded to the local computer's RAM cache if the query contains other parameters, such as NetBIOS name or IP address.

When you close the WINS console, all records in the RAM cache are cleared. If you reopen the console and initiate a new search, unless you select Enable result caching, all queries will be made to the selected WINS server, and only the records that match the query parameters are returned to the local computer and displayed in the details pane. No records will be cached in RAM, and each subsequent query will go to the server, regardless of the query parameters that you have selected.