DNS question

[aliweb]

Hi,

I have the following experience so far regarding DNS update.

1. When I change DNS of a domain for the time being it continues to point to existing site
2. After some time, website stops showing i.e. downtime. It neither shows old nor new site.
3. Then after around 24 hours (after DNS propagation) new site starts to show up.

But a person told me just now that when you update DNS then no downtime occurs at all. That is step 2 I described above doesn't happen. When you update DNS, old website continue to show up and as soon as DNS propagation is complete then new site shows up, without any downtime. Is this true?

Thanks

 

[Ratzo]

Yes that's true, there shouldn't be any downtime. The downtime may happens because you shutdown the site from previous server before the dns propagation completes.

 

[mosilager]

In my experience, during the DNS change, the site will still show how it existed on the previous server. I've never encountered a "blank" page between DNS changes!.

Hi,

I have the following experience so far regarding DNS update.

1. When I change DNS of a domain for the time being it continues to point to existing site
2. After some time, website stops showing i.e. downtime. It neither shows old nor new site.
3. Then after around 24 hours (after DNS propagation) new site starts to show up.

But a person told me just now that when you update DNS then no downtime occurs at all. That is step 2 I described above doesn't happen. When you update DNS, old website continue to show up and as soon as DNS propagation is complete then new site shows up, without any downtime. Is this true?

Thanks

 

[Name Trader]

There isn't any downtime. I suspect Ratso hit the nail on the head. Just don't remove the domain from the old server until the DNS has propagated to you (at least).

 

[nielsencl]

Uh, there should not be any downtime, but in some cases there may be.

What should happen is you change the DNS. Then in a 24 hour period there may be DNS servers that have both the old and new settings, but ater 24 hours all should be updated. In some cases making a DNS change can seem to take affect in 15 minutes and start working, but it may not be for all users everywhere.

But lately I have been making some DNS changes for some parked domains at ResellerClub.com. I go from just a namserver entry to hosting the DNS for the domain which is a little more complicated than just changing the name servers. That may be why for some period of time my domain cannot be found at all, perhaps 30 minutes or so. Then the site can be found again. This is the only time I have heard or seen a DNS change result in a domain not being found for a short time.

 

[aliweb]

Then I must be confusing that downtime with something else because I asked a few people and they also said the same i.e. no downtime occurs.

 

[nielsencl]

It could be some other reason why you saw what you saw, but as I said I have seen the same type of thing happen. It's as if a DNS change causes a server reset or something that erases the current record and there is a short delay before the new record can be found.

Who is your hosting provider and domain registrar?

 

[GoQuickly]

Downtime should not happen on the transition as long as both nameservers your pointing to (new/old) have a zone file that in return points the domains IP (A record) to a server with a index file/site.

Keep both hostings up and repoint the DNS, you should be fine.

After you change the DNS, leave the hosting up for 24-48 hours on the old end, this way if an ISP has any old nameservers cached - returning users won't see a downed site.

 

[cache]

I think it is possible the router get confused with which destination address should go when building its address table

At godaddy, instead of changing the dns servers, you could change the IP address in the "total dns" section, that way the change is almost instant.

 

[GoQuickly]

I think it is possible the router get confused with which destination address should go when building its address table

At godaddy, instead of changing the dns servers, you could change the IP address in the "total dns" section, that way the change is almost instant.

It all depends on the ISP, the IP address will configure faster on your comp than it may on others or vice versa.

You can run the domain through host-tracker.com or use a couple online ping services to see what IP it's pulling from.

I suggest host tracker because it will ping from like 100 hosts around the world. If they all clear your safe to delete the old provider.
:blink:

 

[syncvb]

A certain off-topic but relevant question here.
Say that I have a domain "mydomain.com".I am using Google apps for domains using DNS settings to get emails and I AM not hosting this site anywhere i.e. there is no site for this domain.
Now if I want to get hosting for this domain to make a website so I will need to change the nameservers. and will have to reconfigure MX settings at my host to point to my existing mail ids.
Will there be any downtime for my emails??

 

[syncvb]

~EDIT~ Same question posted twice because of browser glitch!

 

[NetOctave]

A certain off-topic but relevant question here.
Say that I have a domain "mydomain.com".I am using Google apps for domains using DNS settings to get emails and I AM not hosting this site anywhere i.e. there is no site for this domain.
Now if I want to get hosting for this domain to make a website so I will need to change the nameservers. and will have to reconfigure MX settings at my host to point to my existing mail ids.
Will there be any downtime for my emails??

You can just update the A record and point to your server ip.. This will let you to use the google services and at the same time let you host..