Update DNS servers - Domain Names - Alibaba Cloud Documentation Center

This document describes how to update DNS servers for a domain name in the Alibaba Cloud Domain Names console. This update affects the domain's DNS resolution.

Prerequisites

To prevent service interruptions when you update DNS servers, first synchronize your DNS records from the original DNS provider to the new one.

Synchronize DNS records: On your new DNS provider's platform, add your domain name and all necessary DNS records.

Verify DNS resolution: Run the following commands to query the new DNS server and check if it responds properly.

# Replace yourdomain with your domain name
# Replace ns1.alidns.com with the address of the new provider's DNS server
dig @ns1.alidns.com yourdomain A
dig @ns1.alidns.com yourdomain MX

Check and disable DNSSEC (skip this step if DNSSEC is not configured)
Check whether Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) is enabled for your domain name. If it is enabled, first delete the Delegation Signer (DS) record with your domain name registrar and then disable DNSSEC.
```
# Use the dig command to check the DNSSEC status of your domain
# If the response includes a Resource Record Signature (RRSIG) record, DNSSEC is enabled
dig +dnssec yourdomain.com
```
(Recommended) Lower the TTL: To reduce the wait time for updates or rollbacks to take effect, lower the Time-To-Live (TTL) value for critical DNS records, such as the A record and MX records of the primary site for your business. Set the TTL to a small value, such as 300 or 600 seconds. Make this change 24 to 48 hours before you update the DNS servers. Wait for the old TTL to expire before updating the DNS servers.

Procedure

Update DNS servers for a single domain name

On the Domain Names page, find the target domain name and click Manage in the Actions column. Choose DNS Server Change and click Change DNS Server.
Enter the new DNS server addresses and click Confirm.

Batch update DNS servers for multiple domain names

Go to the Bulk Operations > Common Batch Operations > DNS Server Change page. Configure your Custom DNS and submit the update using the email verification code.
On the Bulk Operations Log page, check whether the update was successful.

Verify the update

After submitting the update, use the following commands to check the DNS propagation.

# Replace yourdomain with your domain name
# 1. Check if the registry's name server (NS) records have been updated to the new DNS server addresses
dig yourdomain NS

# 2. Trace the full resolution path to confirm requests are being answered by the new DNS servers
dig +trace yourdomain A

Apply in production

Update DNS servers during off-peak hours and prepare a rollback plan in advance.
When you update DNS servers, the time for the update to take effect depends on the TTL of the domain's NS records cached by local DNS resolvers. Full worldwide propagation may take 24 to 48 hours.

FAQs

Why are my DNS server updates not taking effect? / Why am I experiencing access issues in some regions after updating my DNS servers?

A: This issue typically occurs for one of the following reasons:

Incorrect configuration on the new DNS servers: This is the most common cause. Log in to your new DNS provider's platform and check if all necessary DNS records (such as A, CNAME, and MX records) have been added for the domain name.
Local DNS cache: The local DNS resolver in the target region or on the target device may have cached the old NS records. DNS server updates can take up to 48 hours to propagate globally. Please wait or try flushing the local DNS cache.
Self-hosted DNS issues: If you use a self-hosted DNS server, check if your firewall allows traffic on port 53, ensure the DNS service is running correctly, and verify the accuracy of the authoritative zone configuration.

Can I use DNS services from multiple providers at the same time?

A: This depends on your domain name registrar. If the registrar's interface for updating DNS servers allows you to enter addresses from multiple providers, then you can. Domain names registered with Alibaba Cloud support specifying DNS server addresses from multiple providers simultaneously.