# User Guide

Let our resources walk you through every DDI Central feature with ease.

## Windows

### DDI Central for Microsoft DNS and DHCP clusters

1. [About DDI Central](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/dns-dhcp-ipam-for-microsoft-windows.html)
2. [Architecture](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/ddi-central-application-architecture-for-managing-microsoft-windows-infrastructure.html)
3. [System Requirements](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/system-requirements-for-microsoft-ddi-dns-and-dhcp-servers.html)
4. [Microsoft Pre-requisites for agentless communication setup](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/pre-requisite-for-agentless-management-with-winrm-authentication.html)
5. [Enable WinRM HTTP on DNS-DHCP servers](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/adding-microsoft-windows-servers-in-ddi-central.html#winrm-http)
6. [Enable WinRM HTTPS on DNS-DHCP servers](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/adding-microsoft-windows-servers-in-ddi-central.html#winrm-https)
7. [Managing Clusters, branches, remote sites and overlapping IP spaces](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/windows-clusters-and-global-dns-dhcp-ip-address-configurations-in-ddi-central.html)
8. [Sample CSV files for Windows](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/sample-csv-files-windows.html)

### Installation & Setup

1. [Windows (.exe) Installer](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/installing-ddi-central-via-exe-file.html) for Windows-only environments or [Linux (.bin) Installer](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/ddi-central-quick-installation-using-bin-installer.html) for managing both Windows & Linux DNS-DHCP clusters in one interface
2. [Create Microsoft clusters](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/adding-microsoft-windows-servers-in-ddi-central.html#win-clusters) and [Onboard Microsoft DNS and DHCP servers](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/adding-microsoft-windows-servers-in-ddi-central.html#add-winservers)
3. [Windows Server Credential Management](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/windows-credential-management.html)
4. [Windows Server Bulk Import](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/windows-server-bulk-import.html)
5. Onboard [Users](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/adding-ddi-users-for-microsoft-windows-infrastructure.html) and create [Contact Groups](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/creating-contact-groups-for-microsoft-dns-dhcp-clusters-in-ddi-central.html)
6. [DNS](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/dns-role-based-access-control-windows.html) and [DHCP](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/dhcp-role-based-access-control-windows.html) Role Based Access Controls
7. Configure the [SMTP server](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/configuring-the-smtp-server-for-microsoft-environment.html) and setup secure SMTP authentication using OAuth with [Google](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/configuring-oauth-with-google-for-microsoft-dns-dhcp-clusters.html) and [Microsoft Azure](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/configuring-oauth-for-microsoft-clusters-in-ddi-central.html)
8. Setup Login Authentication through [SAML Single Sign-On (SSO)](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/configuring-saml-authentication-for-ddi-users-in-microsoft-infrastructure.html), [LDAP](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/configuring-ldap-authentication-for-ddi-users-in-microsoft-infrastructure.html), and [Two-factor authentication (2FA)](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/adding-ddi-users-for-microsoft-windows-infrastructure.html#2fa)
9. Configuring [Windows Appconsole Failover](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/configuring-failover-for-ddi-central-windows-appconsole.html) in DDI Central
10. Configuring [Remote Database](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/configuring-database-in-ddi-central-windows.html) in DDI Central
11. Configuring [Custom SSL Certificates](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/configuring-custom-ssl-certificates-in-ddi-windows.html) in DDI Central Windows

### Microsoft DNS zone management

1. Create, update, or bulk-import [Authoritative Zones](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/create-authoritative-zones-using-ddi-central.html)
2. Adding [Active Directory](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/windows-adding-ad-domains.html) Domains in Windows
3. Setup [Reverse DNS Lookups](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/creating-microsoft-windows-reverse-zones-in-ddi-central.html)
4. Managing and Unmanaging [DNS Domains](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/managing-and-unmanaging-dns-domains-in-windows.html) in Windows
5. Manage [Zone Scopes](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/creating-zone-scopes-for-microsoft-dns-in-ddi-central.html)
6. [Create and manage DNS Resource Records](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/managing-dns-records-for-microsoft-domains-in-ddi.html) with DNS Zone Editor
7. Seamlessly [Export and Import DNS Records](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/managing-dns-records-for-microsoft-domains-in-ddi.html#import-export)
8. Manage [Stub Zones and Forwarders](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/windows-stub-zones-and-forwarders-help-doc.html)
9. Sign domains with [DNSSEC](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/configuring-dnssec-for-microsoft-dns-zones-in-ddi-central.html)
10. Manage [Dynamic IPs for zones using Dynamic DNS (DDNS)](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/managing-dynamic-domains-for-microsoft-dns-in-ddi-central.html)
11. View [DNS Zone Versions](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/dns-zone-versioning-windows.html)

### Configuring Microsoft DNS settings & policies

1. Create [Clientsubnets](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/creating-clientsubnets-for-microsoft-dns-in-ddi-central.html)
2. Block malicious domains using [DNS Firewall](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/domain-blocking-in-microsoft-dns-using-dns-firewall-in-ddi-central.html)
3. Customize query traffic routing with [DNS Query Resolution Policies (QRPs)](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/creating-query-resolution-policies-for-microsoft-dns-in-ddi-central.html)
4. Mitigate DNS amplification attacks using [Response Rate Limiting (RRL) Settings](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/configuring-rrl-settings-for-microsoft-dns--in-ddi-central.html) and manage [RRL Exception List](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/configuring-rrl-exception-list-for-microsoft-dns--in-ddi-central.html) to allow trusted queries
5. Reduce latency for domain lookups with [DNS Recursion Settings](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/configuring-dns-recursion-settings-for-microsoft-dns-in-ddi-central.html#recursion-settings) and [Forwarder Settings](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/configuring-dns-recursion-settings-for-microsoft-dns-in-ddi-central.html#forwarder-settings)
6. [Configuring DNS Cache settings](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/configuring-dns-cache-for-microsoft-dns-in-ddi-central.html)

### DNS audits, reports, and analytics

1. [Domain Query and Response Analytics](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/microsoft-domain-query-analytics-in-ddi-central.html)
2. Review [DNS Audit Logs](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/viewing-microsoft-dns-audit-logs-in-ddi-central.html)
3. Purge stale DNS records with [DNS Scavenging](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/domain-ageing-scavenging-for-microsoft-dns-infrastructure.html) reports
4. Schedule [DNS Reports](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/generating-microsoft-windows-dns-dhcp-ip-utilization-reports-in-ddi-central.html#dns-reports)

### Microsoft DHCP scope management

1. Configure [Subnets](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/managing-microsoft-windows-dhcp-scopes-in-ddi-central.html#subnets) and [Multicast Subnets](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/managing-microsoft-windows-dhcp-scopes-in-ddi-central.html#multicast)
2. Managing and Unmanaging [DHCP Subnets](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/managing-and-unmanaging-dhcp-subnets-in-windows.html) in Windows
3. Configure [Static Subnets](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/managing-microsoft-windows-dhcp-scopes-in-ddi-central.html#static) and import [Static Leases](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/analyzing-microsoft-windows-dhcp-lease-and-lease-history-in-ddi-central.html#static-leases)
4. Configure [DHCP reservations](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/managing-microsoft-windows-dhcp-scopes-in-ddi-central.html#hosts)
5. Configure [Shared Networks or Superscopes](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/managing-microsoft-windows-dhcp-scopes-in-ddi-central.html#sharednetwork)
6. Define and manage [VLANs](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/managing-microsoft-windows-dhcp-scopes-in-ddi-central.html#vlans)
7. Visualize and organize scopes with [DHCP Scope Tree](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/managing-microsoft-windows-dhcp-scopes-in-ddi-central.html#dhcp-scope-tree)
8. [Import Subnets and Hosts in bulk](https://www.manageengine.com/dns-dhcp-ipam/help/managing-microsoft-windows-dhcp-scopes-in-ddi-central.html#dhcp-scope-import) using CSV files