Setting up remote DNS

[jeffschips]

Hello. I currently run all my dns services within WHM/cpanel. Due to reaccuring slow response times I'd like to migrate ALL dns services (including all txt records, dmark, dkim, etc.) off the server while still keeping mail and websites on the server.

Is this feasable?

Thank you.

 

[cPRex]

Hey there! Sure, it's doable, but there aren't any automated tools to take care of that work for you.

Might I suggest looking into a DNS cluster instead? That would still let you make changes inside WHM and cPanel and have them be added to your DNS automatically. While you're welcome to manage the DNS remotely, if you do that, every change you make on the server (A record, subdomain, alias, new account, etc.) will have to be manually applied to your remote DNS tool, and I think that makes things more complicated and more error prone.

 

[jeffschips]

Here's a silly question: does Cpanel DNSOnly run on the same or different server as the single server I am using now. I'm guessing it's a geographically differnt location so a different server, yet I want to make sure. As well, since I use dnssec I must choose PowerDNS in the setup? Or is PowerDNS a wholly different animal/server/dns system?

 

[cPRex]

DNSOnly would be a completely separate machine, as that is a more limited (and free) version of the cPanel & WHM software. By default you would get PowerDNS on a new installation.

 

[jeffschips]

So I have to find some bare metal somewhere WHM/Cpanel does not provide such services, correct? And I'm also presuming my current WHM/cpanel install would continue to be, for example. ns1.example.com and the new bare metal would be ns2.example.com.

Question is, where should I locate this in North America? I believe my current bare metal is in a northeast state so it would make sense, I guess to place the other bare metal in where. . . Kansas?

Thanks for all your help.

 

[cPRex]

Correct, we don't provide any servers or hosting.

You wouldn't run any DNS on the server after it's connected to a cluster - it all gets served from the cluster machines.

Sure, Kansas sounds random enough :D But really, just try and get something close to where your customers are coming from for faster DNS resolution times.

 

[jeffschips]

So if my current machine is located in the northeast (and which currently serves dns records on request) and I install cpanel dns cluster on another machine in Kansas, then, if I understand your response above ("You wouldn't run any DNS on the server after it's connected to a cluster" ) I would remove dns from the current server and only have one dns server in Kansas? I thought the purpose was for reduncdancy but if I understand what you are suggesting in order to have that I must have at least two other, seperate dns cluster servers running to fufill the job that my original server fufilled plus another seperate one for redundancy? In all, 3 machines - two serving dns records and one, minus it's dns service and just serving mail and web pages. Do I have the right?

 

[cPRex]

That sounds right to me!

 

[jeffschips]

Thanks for the help. That clears up a lot for me.

 

[ejsolutions]

You're talking about bare metal there: doesn't need to be a dedicated server - a cheap KVM VPS does the trick. ( One of my DNSonly VPS is a 'hefty' $6/yr ! )