Do DNS files in the zone editor indicate the host is managing my DNS?

[jaredgeddy]

Context:
I've got a client who's domain is forwarding DNS management and nameservers elsewhere. (Qwest to be specific) I suspect their hosting vendor has control of it right now but they are claiming they do not. I've asked for full dashboard access to their site hosting but because it's a shared server they are only willing to give me cPanel access. So on my way to the zone editor I went and surprise surprise there's the DNS records for the domain name minus detailed MX records.

Question:
Does the DNS records showing up in cPanel indicate that the host is in fact in control of the DNS? Nameservers don't often lend much knowledge in my experience because they can be owned by one company and used by another for a digital storefront. I.E. Godaddy's name servers aren't actually "godaddy.com".

 

[cPanelLauren]

Does the DNS records showing up in cPanel indicate that the host is in fact in control of the DNS?

No, they do not. DNS records are created for any domain that is created on the server.

Nameservers don't often lend much knowledge in my experience because they can be owned by one company and used by another for a digital storefront. I.E. Godaddy's name servers aren't actually "godaddy.com".

Querying the nameservers is the most definitive way to to identify where DNS for a domain is hosted. In fact it's literally THE only way to do this. An example of how to do this would be to run something like the following from the CLI:

dig NS domain.tld

While GoDaddy's nameservers aren't in fact using godaddy in their name a google search or whois on the domain can tell you that.