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Simple(?) DNS question.


bebop1065

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I can't seem to understand why I've been told no to this question.

 

Can I add A records for multiple servers to a pair of DNS records that serve different websites?

 

Stated differently, "Can I use the same pair of DNS entries for multiple servers?"

 

Is a potential performance degradation the only problem with this?

Is this possible?

If not, can you simply explain why not?

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Are you saying you want the an A record on server X to point to IP 1.2.3.4 and an A record with (same name) on server Y to point to a different IP??

 

so an A record for mydomain.com on server X points to IP 1.2.3.4 and an A record for mydomain.com on server Y points IP 5.6.7.8??

 

If I understand this right... then I would say no. Because the DNS entry can only be authorative for 1 DNS zone. I think, not sure. I'm confused now... It's all magic....

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I knew I'd mess up my question...

 

This is the deal. I have sites on several different servers. All of the servers have different DNS. Some repeat customers can't seem to wait and read their activation email to tell them which DNS to use. Sometimes they have accounts on different servers.

 

I want to setup ns1.mydomain.com and ns2.mydomain.com as the ONLY two DNS for all of my servers.

 

I need to know if it is possible to add the appropriate records to those DNS to point to all of my servers. The appropriate records might be CNAME or A or whatever combination would work.

I want to be able to tell all of my customers, regardless of their server, that there is only one pair of DNS that they need to use from now on.

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Again, if I understand correctly. Yes that can be done. You're talking name servers vice DNS entries. A name server is the "big white pages" on the internet. Over-simplyfing, Your browser says where is mydomain.com a name server responds by saying "it's at IP 1.2.3.4".

 

On the client's server. The DNS server has entries to say what the name servers are for that domain. A good infrastructure design would have at least 2 name servers in different IP segments. I have a client that has their own name servers in three different IP segments. That's good redundency if something happens where a switch or router fails for one segment. The othe namee servers are still functional. Otherwise the sites that had all their name serves in that segment are inaccessible. Remember a few years ago parts of microsoft.com could not be reached... that was because one of their engineers put some name servers on the same segment. It wnet down and so did several publicly accessible parts of microsoft.com.

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Thanks for your reply Roger,

 

I always thought that I understood the basics of DNS, but trying to figure this out has baffled me. Also, my DC techs have told me that this was impossible. I can't see why though.

 

I use DI as my registrar.

 

Here is basically what I have.

 

Server 1 IP 1.1.1.1 ns1.mydomain.com ns2.mydomain.com

Server 2 IP 2.2.2.2 ns1.somedomain.com ns2.somedomain.com

Server 3 IP 3.3.3.3 ns1.differentdomain.com ns2.differentdomain.com

Other home servers with websites. These aren't important.

 

Do I add IP addresses (A records) to the NS that I want to use pointing to the DNS server on the different servers?

 

Two of the servers are shared. I cannot alter the DNS server name although one of them was setup with custom DNS for me. One server is mine.

 

I know that I probably need to RTFM a little bit more, but I can't seem to find out where to start with this.

 

I thought that I could add A records from each server's DNS for the desired NS and then the CNAME for the ones I can't change. Then all I would need to do it change the DNS on the domains and it would work.

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I use enom but should be about the same. With enom I can register a NS. But it has to be for a domain that I own through enom. I enter the name of the NS ie ns1.mydomain1.local and IP, ns2 ... ns3 ... etc etc. If I didn't own the domain name through enom then I could change the NS for any domain by registering a new NS... hmmm that would be bad...

 

Now on your site server you would add the NS info to the DNS zone for that domain.

 

Maybe we're not talking apples and apples... The more I read your last post I think you're wanting to do something that I'm not sure of how to do.... My presumption was you were asking about registering NS'ers and having more than 1 physical NS point to your sites.

 

It really is all magic .... lol

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bebop, what you are attempting to do is perfectly workable, as long as you are authoratative for the names and ns records on the servers.

 

For an NS server entry, the proper notation on your box is:

 

domain.com. NS IN 172800 ns1.domain.com.

domain.com. NS IN 172800 ns2.domain.com.

ns1.domain.com. A IN 172800 1.2.3.4

ns2.domain.com. A IN 172800 1.2.3.4

 

for the child name servers at DI it should be:

 

ns1.domain.com. A IN 172800 1.2.3.4

ns2.domain.com. A IN 172800 1.2.3.4

 

 

Note the periods after the domain names.

 

Also note that the unless an ns server is actually setup and it responds to ns queries, it will not work. You need to be authoritative for ns and obviously have the NS server set up at your registrar, pointing to the correct IP.

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Thanks guys,

 

That seems to answer my questions on why I might not be able to do this unless my host agrees to help make it work.

 

I would need my provider to add my designated ns1 and ns2 to the servers in order for it to work.

 

I've got a support ticket to put in with my host now.

 

Wish me luck.

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>>It doesnt involve your host at all

 

Bebop is using shared hosting with 2 of the servers, so he also needs to contact his host to set up virtual NS servers before registering the child nameservers. Otherwise it won't respond properly.

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>>It doesnt involve your host at all

 

Bebop is using shared hosting with 2 of the servers, so he also needs to contact his host to set up virtual NS servers before registering the child nameservers. Otherwise it won't respond properly.

I can recommend DNS&BIND as essential reading, during wich you'll discover just how wrong that statement is :P

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Rob, :P if he cannot manage the DNS on the shared reseller hosting he uses, simply creating child nameservers for a domain (using A records at the registrar) WILL yield a **non-authoritative answer** and likely cause some problems... if you still think this is not correct, please explain yourself.

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