Azure – way to delete an Azure cloud service (web role) and leave a DNS CName record in it’s place

azurecname-recorddomain-name-system

We currently have two cloud services (web roles) running in Azure. They correspond to the version 1 release of our product and the version 2 release. The dns names that got assigned by Azure are something like:

ver1app.cloudapp.net and ver2app.cloudapp.net.

For version 2, we have a proper DNS CNAME record that points to ver2app.cloudapp.net. All new customers are using the custom domain name and getting to ver2app.

Unfortunately, we have legacy users in the field that are hardcoded to the url ver1app.cloudapp.net. This is a custom IOT type device that doesn't follow http redirects so I can't do something simple like Url Rewrite.

My goal is to completely retire the ver1app so I don't have to keep maintaining it. I think a clean solution to our problem would be if we could delete ver1app.cloudapp.net but leave a CNAME that pointed to ver2app.cloudapp.net. I don't see a way to do this with Microsoft owning the cloudapp.net domain. Is there a way? Is there a different way to accomplish this that I haven't thought of?

Best Answer

Would an IIS rewrite rule help? This link talks about CDN but it shows rewrites. You might ask on SO if you need help with the rewrite rule. See also http://weblogs.asp.net/owscott/rewrite-vs-redirect-what-s-the-difference

Outline

The Problem
The Solution
- Allowing other machines to use filesharing via the DNS Alias (DisableStrictNameChecking)
- Allowing server machine to use filesharing with itself via the DNS Alias (BackConnectionHostNames)
- Providing browse capabilities for multiple NetBIOS names (OptionalNames)
- Register the Kerberos service principal names (SPNs) for other Windows functions like Printing (setspn)
References

1. The Problem

On Windows machines, file sharing can work via the computer name, with or without full qualification, or by the IP Address. By default, however, filesharing will not work with arbitrary DNS aliases. To enable filesharing and other Windows services to work with DNS aliases, you must make registry changes as detailed below and reboot the machine.

2. The Solution

Allowing other machines to use filesharing via the DNS Alias (DisableStrictNameChecking)

This change alone will allow other machines on the network to connect to the machine using any arbitrary hostname. (However this change will not allow a machine to connect to itself via a hostname, see BackConnectionHostNames below).

Edit the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\lanmanserver\parameters and add a value DisableStrictNameChecking of type DWORD set to 1.
Edit the registry key (on 2008 R2) HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print and add a value DnsOnWire of type DWORD set to 1

Allowing server machine to use filesharing with itself via the DNS Alias (BackConnectionHostNames)

This change is necessary for a DNS alias to work with filesharing from a machine to find itself. This creates the Local Security Authority host names that can be referenced in an NTLM authentication request.

To do this, follow these steps for all the nodes on the client computer:

To the registry subkey HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\MSV1_0, add new Multi-String Value BackConnectionHostNames
In the Value data box, type the CNAME or the DNS alias, that is used for the local shares on the computer, and then click OK.
- Note: Type each host name on a separate line.

Providing browse capabilities for multiple NetBIOS names (OptionalNames)

Allows ability to see the network alias in the network browse list.

Edit the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\lanmanserver\parameters and add a value OptionalNames of type Multi-String
Add in a newline delimited list of names that should be registered under the NetBIOS browse entries
- Names should match NetBIOS conventions (i.e. not FQDN, just hostname)

Register the Kerberos service principal names (SPNs) for other Windows functions like Printing (setspn)

NOTE: Should not need to do this for basic functions to work, documented here for completeness. We had one situation in which the DNS alias was not working because there was an old SPN record interfering, so if other steps aren't working check if there are any stray SPN records.

You must register the Kerberos service principal names (SPNs), the host name, and the fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) for all the new DNS alias (CNAME) records. If you do not do this, a Kerberos ticket request for a DNS alias (CNAME) record may fail and return the error code KDC_ERR_S_SPRINCIPAL_UNKNOWN.

To view the Kerberos SPNs for the new DNS alias records, use the Setspn command-line tool (setspn.exe). The Setspn tool is included in Windows Server 2003 Support Tools. You can install Windows Server 2003 Support Tools from the Support\Tools folder of the Windows Server 2003 startup disk.

How to use the tool to list all records for a computername:

setspn -L computername

To register the SPN for the DNS alias (CNAME) records, use the Setspn tool with the following syntax:

setspn -A host/your_ALIAS_name computername
setspn -A host/your_ALIAS_name.company.com computername

3. References

All the Microsoft references work via: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/

Connecting to SMB share on a Windows 2000-based computer or a Windows Server 2003-based computer may not work with an alias name
- Covers the basics of making file sharing work properly with DNS alias records from other computers to the server computer.
- KB281308
Error message when you try to access a server locally by using its FQDN or its CNAME alias after you install Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1: "Access denied" or "No network provider accepted the given network path"
- Covers how to make the DNS alias work with file sharing from the file server itself.
- KB926642
How to consolidate print servers by using DNS alias (CNAME) records in Windows Server 2003 and in Windows 2000 Server
- Covers more complex scenarios in which records in Active Directory may need to be updated for certain services to work properly and for browsing for such services to work properly, how to register the Kerberos service principal names (SPNs).
- KB870911
Distributed File System update to support consolidation roots in Windows Server 2003
- Covers even more complex scenarios with DFS (discusses OptionalNames).
- KB829885

DNS – Is a CNAME to CNAME Chain Allowed?

From RFC 1034 - Domain names - concepts and facilities:

Domain names in RRs which point at another name should always point at the primary name and not the alias. This avoids extra indirections in accessing information. For example, the address to name RR for the above host should be:
52.0.0.10.IN-ADDR.ARPA  IN      PTR     C.ISI.EDU
rather than pointing at USC-ISIC.ARPA. Of course, by the robustness principle, domain software should not fail when presented with CNAME chains or loops; CNAME chains should be followed and CNAME loops signalled as an error.

So yes, it is allowed and properly written software will handle it just OK. CNAME chains aren't however considered good practice and impose an overhead on the infrastructure.