Client Virtual Servers - Do they need name server (NS records)

Virtualmin
1
SYSTEM INFORMATION
OS type and version Ubuntu Linux 22.04.4
Webmin version 2.111
Usermin version 2.010
Virtualmin version 7.10.0
Theme version 21.10
Package updates 88 package updates are available

This might be a simple question but I want to get things right.

background

I have clients which:

  • have their DNS with the registrar 123-reg
  • at this registrar I use the name servers ns1.svchost.uk and ns2.svchost.uk
  • on my virtualmin server (I know it is ubuntu really, lol) the virtual server svchost.uk has the NS records for ns1.svchost.uk and ns2.svchost.uk configured
  • Virtualmin handles the DNS for the clients

The question

Should each of my clients have a NS records in their virtual sever pointing to ns1.svchost.uk and ns2.svchost.uk or is this a pointless exercise.

Thanks

2

Yes - If you are going to host their DNS? The NS records need to be in two places.
Clients need to enter the NS1 and NS2 with their register name servers.
You need to place the NS1 and NS2 in their DNS records. (should be done automatically in Virtualmin)

Hope this helps,

Nothing wrong with Ubuntu…

1 Like
3

@cyberndt thanks for the info

  • DNS NS records identify the authoritative name servers for a zone.
  • Every zone must have at least one entry that identifies the name servers responsible for the domain. The availability of a zone can be increased by using two or more such records. If the first name server is unavailable, the zone will still be accessible via another server.

So each virtualserver (with their own zone) will have:

  • at least 1 name server, but I will add 2 (ns1 and ns2)
  • A records for ns1 and ns2. this seems to be the convention but I am not sure if it is 100% required any more but virtualmin moans if not.
  • I will use custom name servers for each domain rather than the same one for each domain. this is better practice because if you move the virtualmin account to another server it will not have any DNS issues.
4

Do you have a reference for this? I use Cloudflare and ClouDNS and both show their NS records in all my Zones.

This sounds like more work than what it’s worth.

1 Like
5

This referers to A records for the nameservers, not NS records.

Dead easy, but there is a bug in the template system I have just reported.

6

The A records for the nameservers are only for your Zone record. Not clients Zone record.
client would only get the NS record.

But, if you are making custom nameservers for your clients? They need to have A records for those nameservers along with their custom NS entries.

The A record points to the IP of the NS record
The NS record points to the DNS Server

7

if i just used ns1.example.com and ns2.example.com as nameservers for all of my clients, just the virtualserver with example.com would need the A records for ns1 and ns2.

but if i use custom name servers for each of my accounts the I would need 2 x NS records and 2 x A records for the nameservers.

However when I am not sure if you need the accompanying A record for the custom namserver I am not sure why it is needed anymmore, ping seems to work without the A records in place but Virtualmin does moan about it the lack of these records.

Best solution just copy what cPanel has done. custom nameservers with A records.

8

Yes, in this situation the A records for the custom nameservers are needed.

9

Do you know why of top of your head?

Personally I think there are some weird technical reasons or more likely it is convention.

10

The NS record although not showing an IP within the entry still has to point at an IP
This gets done with an A record.

This A record needs to be on the zone record that is hosting the NS.domain.tld

If they are hosting their own NS? where is the IP coming from if the A record is not created?

Therefor the A record needs to be included in their Zone.

11

true. :smile:

and this post must be 12 characters long

1 Like
12

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