KMS Automatic Discovery Set-Up

This documentation will highlight the steps that should be taken to test whether or not a KMS SRV record exists in the DNS zone of a computer and how to request the set up of this record if it does not exist. Once the entry can be is confirmed working in your specific DNS zone, KMS automatic discovery will be available.

For automatic discovery to work, a KMS SRV record must be present in the DNS zone of a computer.

An example of this would be a computer with a DNS entry of computer_name.ad.wisc.edu.  This computer would check the ad.wisc.edu zone for a KMS SRV record, but no other zones.

  • If you do not know your domain, please use the following command in command prompt on your computer to look up the corresponding domain your computer is on (opening command prompt as an administrator is optional):
    • Windows Only (Command Prompt)
      • wmic computersystem get domain

The following steps may be followed to determine whether or not the required KMS SRV record is present in a domain.  You must be on a campus network for this to work.

  1. Open up command prompt or terminal and run the following command (opening command prompt as an administrator is optional):
    • Windows and Mac Command (Command Prompt and Terminal)
      • nslookup -type=srv _vlmcs._tcp

  2. If the correct record is present, the following should be seen along with a number of other entries:
    • _vlmcs._tcp.ad.wisc.edu SRV service location:
    • priority = 0
    • weight = 0
    • port = 1688
    • svr hostname = ms-kms-1.services.wisc.edu
  3. If the above record entry is not present, please contact your network administrator and request the below DNS entry be entered in your DNS zone:
    • _vlmcs._tcp.<domain>. 3600 IN SRV 0 0 1688 ms-kms-1.services.wisc.edu
      • Replace the <domain> with your domain (such as ad.wisc.edu).  If you do not know your domain, please refer to the above section referencing how to look this up on a Windows machine.


KeywordsKMS Automatic Discovery Setup Set Up Windows   Doc ID66597
OwnerSEAN G.GroupDoIT Departmental Support
Created2016-08-31 16:03:59Updated2022-11-21 10:08:46
SitesDoIT Departmental Support, DoIT Help Desk
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