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Problem

You want to clear the DNS cache. The DNS cache contains resource records that are cached by the server or workstation for a period of time in memory so that repeated requests for the same record can be returned immediately. There are two types of DNS cache. One pertains to the cache on the Windows DNS client resolver (this can refer to both server and workstation operating systems when they are requesting DNS information from a server), and the other refers to the cache used by the Microsoft DNS server software.

Solution

To flush the client resolver cache, use the following command:

	 
>  
ipconfig /flushdns

To flush the DNS server cache, use any of the following solutions.

Using a graphical user interface

Using a command-line interface

The following command will clear the cache on <DNSServerName>. You can leave out the <DNSServerName> parameter to simply run the command against the local server:

	> dnscmd <DNSServerName> /clearcache

Using VBScript

	' This code clears the DNS server cache on the specified server.
	' ------ SCRIPT CONFIGURATION ------
	strServer = "<DNSServerName>" ' e.g. dc1.rallencorp.com
	' ------ END CONFIGURATION --------

	set objDNS = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & strServer & "\root\MicrosoftDNS")
	set objDNSServer = objDNS.Get("MicrosoftDNS_Server.Name="".""")
	set objDNSCache = objDNS.Get("MicrosoftDNS_Cache.ContainerName=""..Cache""" & _
	                             ",DnsServerName=""" & objDNSServer.Name & _
	                             """,Name=""..Cache""")
	objDNSCache.ClearCache
	WScript.Echo "Cleared server cache"

Discussion

The client resolver cache is populated whenever a DNS lookup is performed on a workstation or server (e.g., with nslookup). It’s important to remember that this cache will store both positive DNS responses as well as negative ones. For example, if lost network connectivity causes DNS queries for an external resource like a mail server to fail, those queries will continue to fail until the cache refreshes: the queries have been negatively cached.

The second type of cache is in place only on Microsoft DNS servers. It is a cache of all DNS requests that the server has made while processing queries from various clients. You can view this cache by browsing the Cached Lookups folder for a server in the DNS Management snap-in. This folder is not shown by default, so you’ll need to select Advanced from the View menu.

With both the client and server cache, records are removed from the cache after the record’s TTL value expires. The TTL is used to age records so that clients and servers will request an updated copy of the record at a later point in order to receive any changes that may have occurred.