Downtime with custom nameservers?

[msklut]

There are several DNS features that are not compatible with BlueHost nameservers (DNSSEC, etc), so we'd like to update our nameservers to use our cPanel server as the nameservers. However, since the domain is our e-commerce shop, we cannot afford any downtime to occur. Below are the current A and NS records for our domain. As you can see we already have A records that are pointing to our server's IP address. If we plan to update our nameservers at the registrar from ns1.bluehost.com and ns2.bluehost.com to ns1.DOMAIN.com and ns2.DOMAIN.com, would there still be downtime?

Name	TTL	Type	Record
DOMAIN.com.	14400	A	99.199.199.199
ns1.DOMAIN.com.	14400	A	99.199.199.199
ns2.DOMAIN.com.	14400	A	99.199.199.199
DOMAIN.com.	300	NS	ns1.bluehost.com.
DOMAIN.com.	300	NS	ns2.bluehost.com.

We understand that we'll have to update the nameservers at the registrar (Network Solutions). The typical propagation can take up to 48 hours or longer in some cases. Would that mean the site is going to be unavailable for customers during this time?

BlueHost customer rep says,

since the ns1 and ns2 records are already created and propagated it can assist with making the full change happen faster. During this time there is still possible downtime, however when going from bluehost.com nameservers to "custom" VPS nameservers there is generally minimal downtime as they are both legitimate nameservers with the same DNS content.

Another BlueHost customer rep said,

since the A record set at Bluehost and on your server are the same, I do not expect you to experience any downtime with the nameserver change. One thing to make sure is that you update the DNS Zone on your server to the new SOA and NS records when you change the nameservers at your registrars.

Has anyone here been through this type of scenario? Can you advise?

 

[HostNoc]

Hi

Bluehost Rep responded correctly.

What you can do to avoid downtime is to set hosting A record in your DNS where you will be changing namesevers to and update nameservers at Registrar. whiile nameservers are in propagation period your site will server from blue host as well as fromm your nameservers.So your customer cant seee any downtime.

Regards
HostNoc

 

[msklut]

What you can do to avoid downtime is to set hosting A record in your DNS where you will be changing namesevers to and update nameservers at Registrar.

OK, so to avoid downtime the DNS records would look like this after updating the nameservers at the registrar?

Name	TTL	Type	Record
DOMAIN.com.	14400	A	99.199.199.199
ns1.DOMAIN.com.	14400	A	99.199.199.199
ns2.DOMAIN.com.	14400	A	99.199.199.199
DOMAIN.com.	300	NS	ns1.DOMAIN.com.
DOMAIN.com.	300	NS	ns2.DOMAIN.com.

 

[HostNoc]

HI

ns1 and ns2 should have your IP not bluehost Ip

You just need to add A record in your DNS zone

Regards
HostNoc

 

[msklut]

ns1 and ns2 should have your IP not bluehost Ip

The current IP for ns1 and ns2 is the IP of our server.

 

[HostNoc]

HI

Please confirm site is hosted on same server where you are pointing your ns1and ns2

Regards
HostNOc

 

[msklut]

Please confirm site is hosted on same server where you are pointing your ns1and ns2

Yes, the IP listed in the table above is the same.

 

[HostNoc]

My suggestion is to use different Ips for nameserver and sepertae IP for domain

 

[msklut]

My suggestion is to use different Ips for nameserver and sepertae IP for domain

I thought the IP address needed to be same to avoid any downtime, right?

 

[cPanelAnthony]

I thought the IP address needed to be same to avoid any downtime, right?

The DNS switch should be seamless once the nameservers switch from pointing to one IP to another.

 

[msklut]

The DNS switch should be seamless once the nameservers switch from pointing to one IP to another.

It would be like this, right? Where 99.199.199.199 is the IP of the domain/cPanel server. That's where I have trouble following. The nameserver I'm planning to use (ns1.DOMAIN.com) will have the same IP as DOMAIN.com.

Current nameserver

nslookup ns1.bluehost.com
Non-authoritative answer:
Name:    ns1.bluehost.com
Address: 162.159.24.80

Updated nameserver

nslookup ns1.DOMAIN.com
Non-authoritative answer:
Name:    ns1.DOMAIN.com
Address: 99.199.199.199

 

[cPanelAnthony]

Hello! That should be fine. Just make sure you set up the DNS portion in advance. What I mean is, before you register the nameservers and switch the domains over, make sure the A records for ns1 and ns2.domain.com are configured within the cPanel DNS editor.

Then, propagations should be as easy as waiting for old nameservers to stop being used and for the new ones to kick in.

 

[msklut]

What I mean is, before you register the nameservers and switch the domains over, make sure the A records for ns1 and ns2.domain.com are configured within the cPanel DNS editor.

OK, so the DNS zone for the primary domain currently looks like this:

Name	TTL	Type	Record
domain.com.	14400	A	99.199.199.199
ftp.domain.com.	14400	A	99.199.199.199
mail.domain.com.	14400	A	99.199.199.199
server.domain.com.	14400	A	99.199.199.199
ns1.domain.com.	14400	A	99.199.199.199
ns2.domain.com.	14400	A	99.199.199.199
domain.com.	300	NS	ns1.bluehost.com
domain.com.	300	NS	ns1.bluehost.com

Would I need to change anything since ns1 and ns2 are already in the DNS zone for the A records? I would need to change the NS records before updating the registrar's nameservers, right?

 

[cPanelAnthony]

Hello! Yes, that should be correct. Just try to do them as quickly together as you can.

 

[sajithgsm]

First find the Private Nameserver section and set private nameservers on your domain name. after that, add them both into your nameservers section too on the domain.