Offload DNS queries to secondary name servers?

[Reado]

My cPanel server uses PowerDNS 4.1.4 and acts as the master server as far as DNS goes. Any changes to DNS zones are replicated to the secondary DNS servers hosted by DNS Made Easy.

However my cPanel server is still an authoritive DNS server for the domain. I'm trying to look for a way to minimise the load on the server whilst improving the DNS lookup for connecting clients. It would make sense to use DNS Made Easy instead of the cPanel server since DME use geographic servers compared to the cPanel server which does not.

Could I use cPanel to manage the DNS zones, i.e. create, edit and delete, but only have the DNS Made Easy servers set as the authoritive DNS servers? If it's possible, would there be any problems or negative effects in doing this?

Assuming it is possible, my understand on how I would go about doing this would be to simply edit the domain at the registrar to remove the cPanel server as a glue record, leaving only the DNS Made Easy glue records. Does that sound right?

 

[LucasRolff]

No, it's perfectly fine to do that Your cPanel server doesn't have to be serving any DNS traffic - as long as something replies as an authoritative DNS server for your domain, you'll be fine

 

[cPanelLauren]

Assuming it is possible, my understand on how I would go about doing this would be to simply edit the domain at the registrar to remove the cPanel server as a glue record, leaving only the DNS Made Easy glue records. Does that sound right?

That sounds about right and as mentioned by @LucasRolff it is perfectly find to use something like DNSonly to offload your DNS traffic.

 

[Reado]

My name servers are currently configured as follows:

ns0 (WHM)
ns1 (Slave)
ns2 (Slave)
ns3 (Slave)

I have changed the name servers at the registrar to ns1, ns2 and ns3.

In WHM within the zone file for the domain, I have set the primary name server to ns1 and listed the NS records as ns1, ns2 and ns3.

Does this sound correct?

How do the slave name servers know to contact the WHM server for the master record? Do they use the information within the zone file or is this done after PDNS notifies them?

 

[cPanelLauren]

Hi @Reado


That configuration looks good, If you have cPanel's DNS clustering configured when you add a new zone file the webserver automatically updates the zone files on the nameservers. Our DNS cluster and configuration documentation should be helpful for you:

DNS Cluster - Version 76 Documentation - cPanel Documentation
Guide to DNS Cluster Configurations - cPanel Knowledge Base - cPanel Documentation