Before you configure sync groups and sync tasks required for the Azure DNS integration in NIOS, complete the following prerequisites:

• In Azure:

  • Set up the Azure environment with required resource groups and subscriptions.

  • Create an application for Azure DNS sync and register it with Microsoft Entra ID. For more information see Configuring Azure Environment for DNS Synchronization.

• In Infoblox NIOS:

  • Ensure that you have installed the Cloud Network Automation license on the Grid Master. For information about licenses, refer to the Infoblox NIOS Documentation.

  • Ensure that the Cloud Sync service is running on the Grid member that will perform the sync task. For more information, see Starting and Stopping the Cloud Sync Service.

  • Keep the credentials from the registered Azure DNS application handy and use them to configure an Azure user in NIOS as described in the Adding an Azure User in NIOS section.

  • Ensure that the time on the NIOS or vNIOS appliance is synchronized with the actual time so that DNS synchronization functions properly. You can configure NTP servers on the NIOS appliance and enable the NTP service to synchronize time on the appliance. For information about how to set up the NTP server, refer to the Infoblox NIOS Documentation.

  • Configure DNS resolvers on the Grid member that is synchronizing Azure DNS data so that NIOS is able to communicate with Azure’s service endpoints. For information about how to configure DNS resolvers, refer to the Infoblox NIOS Documentation.

Adding an Azure User in NIOS

For the Azure DNS application that you registered for a tenant in Azure, you must create an Azure user in NIOS by specifying the tenant ID, client ID, and client secret credentials obtained from Azure. The credentials that you specify are used by NIOS to communicate with Azure.

Azure requires the credentials to allow calls made to Azure using the Azure CLI, Azure SDKs, or direct HTTP calls. For more information, see Configuring Azure Environment for DNS Synchronization.

To add an Azure admin user, complete the following steps:

1. On the Administration tab > Cloud tab, click the Add icon.

2. In Add Cloud User Wizard > Step 1 of 1, complete the following:

   • Cloud Service Provider: Select Azure from the drop-down list.

   • Username: Enter a username for the Azure user account.

   • Client ID: Enter the client ID (Application ID) of the registered Azure DNS application from Azure.

   • Client Secret: Enter the key value for the Microsoft Azure account.

   • Tenant ID: Unique ID of the Azure Entra ID instance in which you have set up the Azure DNS application and subscriptions to be discovered for the synchronization of DNS data.

3. Click Save & Close.

Starting and Stopping the Cloud Sync Service

To enable the synchronization of DNS data from multiple subscriptions of an Azure tenant to NIOS, the Cloud Sync service must be running on the member that will perform the sync task. If the member is not assigned with any existing sync task, the service is automatically enabled when you create an Azure sync group with a minimum of one sync task on the member.

Before or after an upgrade to NIOS 9.0.4 or later, if you manually stopped the Cloud Sync service on a member for any reason, you must manually start the service for the dependent tasks such as DNS sync and/or vDiscovery to run.

To start the service:

1. From the Grid tab, select Grid Manager tab > Services tab.

2. On the service bar, click the Cloud Sync service.

3. Select the member on which the Cloud Sync service must be enabled.

4. Expand the Toolbar and click Start.
   The service takes a few minutes to start. Before running a Cloud DNS sync task, wait for the service status to show Cloud Sync service is healthy.

To stop the Cloud Sync service on a member, select the member checkbox, and then click Stop in the Toolbar.