Cannonical Hostname

[Website Rob]

Can someone explain the definition/purpose of this term? Any info or links are appreciated.

 

[thewitt]

CNAMEs allow you to refer to hosts within DNS records by name, rather than by IP address. They can be probelmatic however when used in conjunction with MX records, and don't get cached the same way as A records, so recent recommendations are to not use them at all and just use multiple A records instead.

They austensibly serve the same purpose as an A record, except they let you refer to a host by a previously defined A record name rather than by IP address.

-t

 

[Website Rob]

The first sentence I followed with no problem, after that I got lost.

CNAME = Cannonical Hostname, I can follow. MX & A records I have still learn the meaning/purpose of and shall wait a bit on those.

Staying with CNAMES, do I understand correctly that a Domain Name has to be registered -- in order for the CNAME or Name Server to be valid -- but the registered Domain Name does not have to be pointed anywhere or even used a as valid URL? Having noticed some Name Servers do not resolve as a Domain Name or even list as registered, when doing a trace, ping, rDNS, of the Domain Name itself, I sort of gathered that's how some like to do it.

And where/when does the Domain Name pickup it's name as a Name Server? (i.e. NS.domain.com, NS1.domain.com, sally.domain.com, etc.)

Just to make it offical, yes I'm a newbie at DNS configuration so don't hestitate to talk "down, dumb" whatever. We all start knowing nothing and work from there. In this case, the we is "me" and working on knowing the Server setup part of running a Web business.

 

[thewitt]

You are going to need to study basic DNS before you try to set up and run your own nameserver.

Do a search on Google and read, read, read.

Domain names don't have to resolve anywhere. When you register a domain name, you can then create a nameserver based on that domain name. The domain name itself needs to resolve at some nameserver somewhere in order to be used. This does not have to be a nameserver based on the domain - is ns1.yourdomain.com, but can resolve at any valid nameserver where you can edit the records.

Running a nameserver is not for the faint of heart. If you are starting up a web hosting business and plan to run your own nameserves, do yourself a favor and don't simply start defining records in your DNS server and let them loose on the world...

-t

 

[Reyner]

Hello

I just read some post the other day that refers to http://www.zoneedit.com, which has a lot of information about DNS. In addition to Thewitt's input, this may have some information you need

Best regards,

 

[Website Rob]

Thanks for the info.

It was the "Cannonical" part that was confusing me. As I understand it though, using A records is when/where NS is defined and everything works from there. I currently use the services of a Managed Dedicated Server, but like others, want to at some point, move up to running my own Box.

The advantage of using a MDS, testing with Domain Names owned by myself, and using the "earn while you learn" method, provides a nice safety cushion for clients and myself, and keeps the money rolling in. Not being a "teen hoster" I still have lots of bills to pay while teaching myself how to do what needs to be done.

BTW, zoneedit.com looks like an excellent place to learn some basics!