HOW TO EXECUTE A "NEAR-SEAMLESS" DNS TRANSITION
Domain name hosting is an optional service that Qwest offers to its DIA customers. New Qwest T1 customers who are planning to move their domain to Qwest should read the following:
One of the most critical aspects of moving from one ISP to another is ensuring that a smooth transition of domain authority takes place from one set of name servers to another. In turning up a new T1 circuit, how does one move a domain without losing domain name resolution in the process? This is a major concern, and due to an lack of credible information commonly known on the subject, we will address it here. First, be assured that a smooth DNS changeover is possible, given that there is proper planning and coordination between the customer and Qwest. With these concerns in mind, Qwest's DNS Administrators have provided this outline of steps which, when followed, will help facilitate a smooth, "near-seamless," DNS transition. For best results you should begin to execute the following steps no later than 5 days prior to your turn up of your Qwest IP circuit:
1. Note: To request DNS service, click H E R E for details.
A request to create a zone file may take up to 48 hours to complete. (48 to 72 hours if requested on a weekend or holiday). The zone file created on Qwest's name servers will remain invisible to the Internet until you modify the domain with your registrar (Step 2) to "point to" Qwest's authorititative name servers. Please note: You should provide CURRENT domain information (hostnames and active IP addresses, etc.). This is IMPORTANT since Qwest's name servers will become authoritative PRIOR TO your switch to the Qwest IP addresses at your cut-over, and will begin answering queries authoritatively based on the data in the zone file at that time.
2. Once you receive confirmation, you will need to contact your domain name registrar (e.g. Network Solutions) to re-point your domain to the Qwest name servers. Virtually all registrars, including Network Solutions, now provide online authenticated access to domain account information. You will need to access your registrar's site to modify your domain's name server information to reflect the Qwest name servers. (See "HOW TO MOVE YOUR DOMAIN TO QWEST" link below.)
The process with your domain name registrar takes 24 to 36 hours to completes, at which time you will be able to see the updated information by visiting the "WHOIS" site. (http://www.networksolutions.com/cgi-bin/whois/whois). For specific information, such as Qwest's name servers, click "HOW TO MOVE YOUR DOMAIN TO QWEST" (http://dns.arl.qwestip.net/#NSI).
3. Once you receive CONFIRMATION from your REGISTRAR that the change request has been completed, it normally takes 24 to 36 hours for the all-important root name servers of the Internet to reflect the change of authoritative name servers. Once that happens, Qwest's name servers will begin to answer authoritatively for the domain. The authoritative answers given will be from CURRENT record information existing in the domain zone file in the Qwest servers. Therefore, ANY updates and/or changes to the zone should reported to the dns group from that point on.
4. IMPORTANT Approximately 48 to 72 hours before your scheduled turn up and switch of IP addresses, contact with the following information:
a. A confirmation of the time of the turn up (including time zone).
b. ANY changes in the zone (i.e. new Qwest IP addresses for hostnames, etc.)
Also, as a way helping to ensure the flow of communication during the DNS transition, please provide a secondary email address, such as a Hotmail or Yahoo address, or any other domain address that will not be affected by the changes.
Some DNS changes can be scheduled to occur automatically during "off hours," (after business hours or during a weekend). Please consult us for details.
PLEASE NOTE that normal business hours for handling DNS requests via email are from 8AM to 9PM, Central time, excluding weekends and holidays. For more details on hours of operation, click HERE. Requests for changes outside of normal business hours should be pre-approved by the dns group at least 48 HOURS in advance.
5. NOTE:To help ensure a successful DNS change, the DNS administrators expect the customer to maintain a "high level" of communication with the dns group group during the transition.
Given the multiple factors involved in a cutover, and DNS being only one, it should be noted that it may require up to 24 to 48 hours to become FULLY visible to the Internet. This is due to the residual cache of the "old" IP information still "alive" at that time in various name servers throughout the Internet. However, the negative impact of cache can be minimized by lowering the zone's TTL parameter at least 48 hours in advance of the zone changes. This will be done IF REQUESTED.
6. Once DNS is active and the Qwest name servers are answering authoritatively for your domain, be sure to contact your former ISP or DNS provider and ensure that they delete your domain zone file from their name servers. This will eliminate future resolution failures caused by outdated zone information still resident on former hosting name servers.
7. Use only Resolver1.Qwest.Net (205.171.3.65) and Resolver2.Qwest.Net (205.171.2.65) as your hostname resolvers. For instructions on how to apply these servers to your clients, click Customer Client Setting.
8. HOURS of Operation: Please click H E R E for details.
Important: Do NOT use any of the following Qwest name servers in your host's resolver settings (TCP/IP Properties/DNS Server in Windows):
DCA-ANS-01.INET.QWEST.NET / IP: 205.171.9.242
SVL-ANS-01.INET.QWEST.NET / IP: 205.171.14.195
DEN-SNS-01.INET.QWEST.NET / IP: 216.111.65.217
DEN-SNS-02.INET.QWEST.NET / IP: 205.171.16.250
DCA-SNS-01.INET.QWEST.NET / IP: 205.171.9.241
AUTHNS1.MPLS.QWEST.NET / 63.231.205.1
AUTHNS2.DNVR.QWEST.NET / 06.196.128.12
AUTHNS3.STTL.QWEST.NET / 206.81.192.11
NS1.USWEST.NET / 204.147.80.5
Use of any of the above as resolvers may cause resolution failure and result in an inability to send email, browse websites, or connect to web based ftp sites. USE ONLY Resolver1.Qwest.Net (205.171.3.65) and Resolver2.Qwest.Net (205.171.2.65) in your host's resolver settings.
Important note: "Resolver1" and "Resolver2" are "caching-only" name servers and not authoritative name servers. Do NOT register them with Network Solutions (or YOUR registrar) for your domain. For information about Qwest's authoritative name servers, click Qwest's Authoritative Name Servers.
DNS (Domain Name System)
What is DNS?
DNS is the acronym
that stands for Domain Name System. DNS was developed so that “human-friendly” names could be used instead of IP addresses to access the Internet and send and receive email.
A computer locates an Internet website by looking up and finding its assigned IP address (e.g. 205.171.9.242). Since you probably will not want to memorize or keep track of long numbers in order to access various websites, a simpler system based on names was created. After all, people tend to associate names with objects to make it easier to remember. DNS, was developed to be a “human-friendly” system based on names, specifically, “fully-qualified domain names” (FQDN). DNS works by resolving a “fully-qualified domain name”, such as "www.qwest.net", to an IP address.
So when you type "www.qwest.net" into your web browser address window, the computer resolves the name to a specific IP address (a location on the Internet) and the WWW.Qwest.Net website appears! The IP address of a website denotes the specific location, or hosting machine, on which it resides. It is similar to the way a street address pinpoints the place where you live! For MORE about DNS, see DNS Definitions, Acronyms and Abbreviations.
If you have questions that we have not addressed, please contact the dns group. For contact information, please click HERE for details.
