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DNS Management (A Record / CNAME)

/D-N-S man-ij-ment/noun

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In brief · quick answer

DNS management is the process of configuring your domain's DNS records to control which servers handle your domain, email, and subdomains. A records point domains to IP addresses; CNAME records point domains to other domains.

§ 1 Definition

DNS (Domain Name System) is the phonebook of the internet. It translates human-readable domain names (like example.com) into machine-readable IP addresses. DNS management involves creating and editing DNS records that control where your domain's traffic goes. The two most common record types are A records (Address), which point a domain or subdomain to an IPv4 address, and CNAME records (Canonical Name), which alias one domain to another. Without correct DNS configuration, your domain points nowhere even if your hosting is perfectly set up. DNS changes can take minutes to 72 hours to propagate globally due to TTL (Time to Live) caching.

§ 2 Common DNS Record Types

A Record maps a domain to an IPv4 address (e.g., 192.0.2.1). Use it to point your domain to a specific server. AAAA Record is the same but for IPv6. CNAME Record maps a domain to another domain (e.g., www.example.com to example.com). You cannot use a CNAME on the root domain. MX Record specifies mail servers for the domain. TXT Record stores arbitrary text, often used for domain ownership verification and email security (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). NS Record delegates DNS control to specific nameservers.

§ 3 How DNS Propagation Works

When you create or change a DNS record, the change doesn't take effect instantly across the internet. DNS resolvers (operated by ISPs, Google, Cloudflare, etc.) cache records based on their TTL value. A TTL of 300 seconds means resolvers check for updates every 5 minutes. A TTL of 86400 (24 hours) means cached records may serve stale data for a full day. Lower TTLs before a planned DNS change, then change records, then raise TTLs back. This minimizes propagation delays.

§ 4 DNS and Web Platforms

Modern platforms like Vercel, Netlify, and Cloudflare manage DNS for you. You point your domain's nameservers to the platform, and they handle record creation automatically when you add a domain. This is simpler than manual record management at your Domain Registrar, but it means the platform controls your DNS. For maximum control, manage DNS at your registrar or use a dedicated DNS provider like Cloudflare.

§ 5 Note

Always set TTL to 300 seconds (5 minutes) before making DNS changes, then bump it higher after propagation. This saves hours of waiting if you make a mistake.

§ 6 In code

```
# Example DNS zone file
; A record: point domain to server IP
example.com.  IN  A     192.0.2.1

; CNAME: alias www to root domain
www           IN  CNAME example.com.

; MX record: mail server
@             IN  MX    10 mail.example.com.

; TXT record: domain verification
@             IN  TXT   "v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all"
```

§ 7 Common questions

Q. How long does DNS take to update?: A. DNS propagation depends on TTL settings and caching policies. Low TTL (300 seconds) propagates in minutes. High TTL (86400 seconds) can take 24-48 hours. There is no way to force an instant global update.
Q. What is the difference between an A record and a CNAME?: A. An A record points a name to an IP address directly. A CNAME points a name to another name, and the DNS resolver follows that name to find the IP. CNAMEs cannot be used on the bare domain (apex).

Key takeaways

A records map domains to IP addresses. CNAMEs map domains to other domains.
TTL determines how long DNS resolvers cache your records. Lower TTL before making changes.
DNS propagation takes anywhere from minutes to 72 hours depending on TTL settings.
Modern platforms (Vercel, Netlify, Cloudflare) can manage DNS for you automatically.

How Atomic Glue helps

We manage DNS configuration for our clients, handling record setup, propagation timing, and troubleshooting. Contact us for DNS setup or migration help.

Get in touch

# DNS Management (A Record / CNAME)

Category: Infrastructure

Author: Atomic Glue Editorial Team

## Definition

DNS (Domain Name System) is the phonebook of the internet. It translates human-readable domain names (like example.com) into machine-readable IP addresses. DNS management involves creating and editing **DNS records** that control where your domain's traffic goes. The two most common record types are **A records** (Address), which point a domain or subdomain to an IPv4 address, and **CNAME records** (Canonical Name), which alias one domain to another. Without correct DNS configuration, your domain points nowhere even if your hosting is perfectly set up. DNS changes can take minutes to 72 hours to propagate globally due to TTL (Time to Live) caching.

## Common DNS Record Types

**A Record** maps a domain to an IPv4 address (e.g., 192.0.2.1). Use it to point your domain to a specific server. **AAAA Record** is the same but for IPv6. **CNAME Record** maps a domain to another domain (e.g., www.example.com to example.com). You cannot use a CNAME on the root domain. **MX Record** specifies mail servers for the domain. **TXT Record** stores arbitrary text, often used for domain ownership verification and email security (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). **NS Record** delegates DNS control to specific [nameserver](/glossary/nameserver)s.

## How DNS Propagation Works

## DNS and Web Platforms

Modern platforms like Vercel, Netlify, and Cloudflare manage DNS for you. You point your domain's nameservers to the platform, and they handle record creation automatically when you add a domain. This is simpler than manual record management at your [Domain Registrar](/glossary/domain-registrar), but it means the platform controls your DNS. For maximum control, manage DNS at your registrar or use a dedicated DNS provider like Cloudflare.

## Note

Always set TTL to 300 seconds (5 minutes) before making DNS changes, then bump it higher after propagation. This saves hours of waiting if you make a mistake.

## In code

## Common questions
Q: How long does DNS take to update?
A: DNS propagation depends on TTL settings and caching policies. Low TTL (300 seconds) propagates in minutes. High TTL (86400 seconds) can take 24-48 hours. There is no way to force an instant global update.
Q: What is the difference between an A record and a CNAME?
A: An A record points a name to an IP address directly. A CNAME points a name to another name, and the DNS resolver follows that name to find the IP. CNAMEs cannot be used on the bare domain (apex).

## Key takeaways

A records map domains to IP addresses. CNAMEs map domains to other domains.
TTL determines how long DNS resolvers cache your records. Lower TTL before making changes.
DNS propagation takes anywhere from minutes to 72 hours depending on TTL settings.
Modern platforms (Vercel, Netlify, Cloudflare) can manage DNS for you automatically.

## Related entries

Last updated July 2026. Permalink: atomicglue.co/glossary/dns-management-a-record-cname