Migrating from a single server to two servers with DNS clustering.

PeteS

• March 25, 2022 01:59

Server A is a standard profile server with 3 IPs (main, NS1,NS2) which handles all services. I'm wanting to split this server off into server A and server B (also a standard profile server) and establish DNS clustering between them. The domain that the nameservers are on will move to server B. The goal is to have server B in a different data center than A, separating NS1 and NS2, and allowing the nameserver domain to be a support portal separate from client domains on server A. (Other servers, C, D, E..., could then be DNS clustered as well, but they have nothing to do with nameserver domain nor the existing nameservers.) I've read docs on DNS clustering, but I have not set up a DNS cluster before, so I don't know if the nameserver IPs replicate across all servers, or if they are only set on the server handling that nameserver. I'm also unclear if there is a master/slave relationship, or if DNS changes in any clustered server propagate to all. My guess was: 1- spin up server B with Cpanel Solo 2- DNS cluster A and B 3- move the nameserver domain account to B 4- remove NS2 from A and add it to B (new IP, so also update registry IP for NS2 glue record) Is it that simple...?

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  techAMIGO

  • March 25, 2022 09:56

  HI, I think you can install cPanel DNSonly () under two seperate tiny vps ( if needed), cPanel dns only is free , So you can standardise your nameservers ( ns1 and ns2 ) and cluster them, clustering is very much easier as few simple clicks by generating the whm api keys and add them Since you need to have nameserver server to use as a support portal too then you can create a standard cpanel profile server with solo license as you said and use it as nameservers too. ( cPanel DNS only cannot be used as hosting server) also if any zone changes happens in anyserver will sync to all servers if the cluster server is added synchronize

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  cPanelWilliam

  • March 25, 2022 19:21

  I agree with @techAMIGO 's input here. It is much more common to use separate DNS Only servers to host your nameservers, then set up your Webservers to sync to the DNS Only servers. If you are going to use DNS Clustering, we recommend not using your WHM/Web servers as the authoritative nameserver for simplicity. We have a detailed article describing this setup I'll include below:

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  PeteS

  • March 27, 2022 00:29

  I agree with @techAMIGO 's input here. It is much more common to use separate DNS Only servers to host your nameservers, then set up your Webservers to sync to the DNS Only servers. If you are going to use DNS Clustering, we recommend not using your WHM/Web servers as the authoritative nameserver for simplicity. We have a detailed article describing this setup I'll include below:

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  techAMIGO

  • March 27, 2022 07:25

  HI @PeteS standard profile servers will work fine with DNS cluster and zones will synchronise without any issues you can proceed in this way if needed, no issues it will work perfectly as normal.. but we're trying to say is, to standardize the DNS cluster is splitting ns1 and ns2 with dns only cPanel servers. so later on you can add any number of cpanel servers to those two namerservers..

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  PeteS

  • March 27, 2022 08:26

  HI @PeteS standard profile servers will work fine with DNS cluster and zones will synchronise without any issues you can proceed in this way if needed, no issues it will work perfectly as normal.. but we're trying to say is, to standardize the DNS cluster is splitting ns1 and ns2 with dns only cPanel servers. so later on you can add any number of cpanel servers to those two namerservers..

  
  Thank you for clarifying that it is best practice, and that my configuration also will work. I agree with your suggestion and will make it the end goal, but for now with this server I need to proceed as I outlined. A couple followup questions: 1- Going forward could I migrate the nameservers to their own DNS Only servers as you suggested? 2- Until then could I add additional standard profile servers in synchronize role to my 2 standard profile server DNS cluster)? 3- Re: Home / Server Configuration / Basic WebHost Manager" Setup (nameserver section), I get now that this would have all NS servers setup, on each server. My question is do changes made to a NS on one server propagate to cluster, or does this need to be manually updated? Thank you again for helping me plan a short term and long term road map. *EDIT* I just noticed that the

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