Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Hosting Security and Technology : DNS server migration without downtime?

[ckpeter]

I have to migrate a few domains to my own server soon.

I would like to use everydns.net. And I am trying to avoid any downtime at all.

Would it work if I change only one name server and keep the old host's secondary server in the register's dns? And then change the secondary also after three days? Do you think this could avoid downtime?

Thanks,

Peter

[DavidU]

Originally posted by ckpeter
I have to migrate a few domains to my own server soon.

I would like to use everydns.net. And I am trying to avoid any downtime at all.

Would it work if I change only one name server and keep the old host's secondary server in the register's dns? And then change the secondary also after three days? Do you think this could avoid downtime?

Thanks,

Peter

We get this a lot, (ask support@everydns.net and I would/will respond almost asap)

Just create the identical (or new records) on everydns.net and they will be live ASAP. Then switch your nameservers with your registrar.

We give you about two weeks in between creating a domain with records before we delete it if it hasn't been delegated to us for exactly this reason.

Let me know if I was clear...I'm coding and am a little tired.

-davidu

[netsolutions]

Ya when changing DNS you should never get any down time. It should just all of a sudden go from one server to the other.

[DavidU]

Originally posted by netsolutions
Ya when changing DNS you should never get any down time. It should just all of a sudden go from one server to the other.

werd, it's one of the *few* things you can actually migrate seamlessly as opposed to mail which is a much larger bitch, esp if your users keep their mail on the server.

-davidu

[Rehan]

Originally posted by netsolutions
Ya when changing DNS you should never get any down time. It should just all of a sudden go from one server to the other.

Not quite "all of a sudden", though, because of DNS caching on client machines...There's no "downtime", but if you're running a something like a bulletin board the switchover can be tricky.

[driverdave]

Switch your DNS records, but on the old server, use a RewriteRule in httpd.conf to rewrite the IP of your new server whenever people access the site on the old server. That way, if you have dynamic content, everyone is on the same server. If you just have static HTML, then it doesn't matter.

[ckpeter]

Since both name server (everydns and old server) are live, I also though that the switch will have no downtime. But when I changed both primary and secondary server at the register, the site was down.

It didn't make sense to me, since both server are live. Does this have anything to do with the "DNS poisioning" that I heard about?

The site is a simple site(static, few pages), but I haven't messed with it yet, I only tranferred my own domain as an experiment.

Also, what about mail server migration, anything I should know? There is a few email address in my and my client's site, but they are all forward addresses.

Thanks for the helps!

Peter

[DavidU]

Originally posted by Rehan
Not quite "all of a sudden", though, because of DNS caching on client machines...There's no "downtime", but if you're running a something like a bulletin board the switchover can be tricky.

Not so much...use a rewrite rule like the poster below suggested...and that's if you are switching machines...not DNS servers...try to stay on topic.

-davidu

[DavidU]

Originally posted by ckpeter
Since both name server (everydns and old server) are live, I also though that the switch will have no downtime. But when I changed both primary and secondary server at the register, the site was down.

It didn't make sense to me, since both server are live. Does this have anything to do with the "DNS poisioning" that I heard about?

That simply should not occur at all.

You really should email support@everydns.net so I can check your records and see what/where things went wrong.

-davidu

[Rehan]

Originally posted by DavidU
Not so much...use a rewrite rule like the poster below suggested...and that's if you are switching machines...not DNS servers...try to stay on topic.

Perhaps you missed the first sentence in this thread: "I have to migrate a few domains to my own server soon." He *is* switching machines.

[DavidU]

Originally posted by Rehan
Perhaps you missed the first sentence in this thread: "I have to migrate a few domains to my own server soon." He *is* switching machines.

As quick as I am to chastise, I am also quick to apologize.



You are totally right.

-davidu