Add a reverse lookup zone to Windows DNS

A forward lookup turns a name into an address. A reverse lookup does the opposite, like caller ID. Active Directory works without it, but tools and logs are much easier to read with it.

Create the zone

1. Open Server Manager → Tools → DNS.
2. Right-click Reverse Lookup Zones → New Zone, then Next.
3. Choose Primary zone and keep Store the zone in Active Directory ticked.
4. Choose To all DNS servers running on domain controllers in this domain.
5. Choose IPv4 Reverse Lookup Zone.
6. Enter the network ID, for example 192.168.87. The zone appears as 87.168.192.in-addr.arpa, written backwards on purpose.
7. Choose Allow only secure dynamic updates, then Finish.

Add a PTR record for the server

1. Open Forward Lookup Zones and your domain.
2. Double-click the server's Host (A) record.
3. Tick Update associated pointer (PTR) record, then OK.

Check it worked

nslookup 192.168.87.10   # should return the server's full name