A forwarder is essentially a nam e server to which all other name servers first send queries that they cannot resolve locally. The forwarder then sends these queries to DNS servers that are external to the network, avoiding the need for the other name servers in your network to send queries off-site. A forwarder eventually builds up a cache of information, which it uses to resolve queries. This reduces Internet traffic over the network and decreases the response time to DNS clients. This is useful in organizations that need to minimize off-site traffic, such as a remote office with a slow connection to a company's network.
You can select any Grid member to function as a forwarder. You must configure your firewall to allow that Grid member to communicate with external DNS servers. You can also configure the NIOS appliance to send queries to one or more forwarders.
You can define a list of forwarders for the entire Grid, for each Grid member, or for each DNS view.

Specifying Forwarders

To configure forwarders for a Grid, member, or DNS view:

1. Grid: From the Data Management tab, select the DNS tab, expand the Toolbar and click Grid DNS Properties.
   Member: From the Data Management tab, select the DNS tab and click the Members tab -> member check box -> Edit icon.
   DNS View: From the Data Management tab, select the DNS tab -> Zones tab -> dns_view check box -> Edit icon. Note that if there is only one DNS view— for example, the predefined default view—you can just click the Edit icon beside it.
   To override an inherited property, click Override next to it and complete the appropriate fields.
2. Click the Forwarders tab.
3. Click the Add icon.
4. Enter an IP address in the text field. The field supports entry for both IPv4 and IPv6 values.
   • To remove a forwarder, select the IP address from the Forwarders list, and then click the Delete icon.
   • To move a forwarder up or down on the list, select it and click the Up or Down arrow.
5. To use only forwarders on your network (and not root servers), select the Use Forwarders Only check box.
6. Save the configuration and click Restart if it appears at the top of the screen.