Learning Center

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• Managing DNS with Terraform — Learn how to manage your DNS zones and records as Infrastructure as Code using the DNScale Terraform Provider.
• Managing DNS with DNSControl — Learn how to manage your DNS zones and records as code using DNSControl with the DNScale provider. Define your entire DNS configuration in JavaScript.
• What is an Anycast DNS Network? — Learn how anycast networking works, why it matters for DNS, and how it delivers low-latency, resilient name resolution worldwide.
• Anycast DNS vs Unicast DNS — Which Is Better for Your Domain? — Compare anycast and unicast DNS routing to understand which approach delivers better performance, resilience, and DDoS protection for your domain.
• DNS for Cloud Infrastructure — Best Practices and Architecture — Learn cloud DNS best practices including service discovery, multi-cloud strategies, automation with Terraform, and TTL optimization for dynamic infrastructure.
• DNS A Record Explained — What It Is and How to Use It — Learn what a DNS A record is, how it maps domain names to IPv4 addresses, and how to create, query, and troubleshoot A records with practical dig command examples.
• DNS AAAA Record Explained — IPv6 Address Mapping — Learn what a DNS AAAA record is, how it maps domain names to IPv6 addresses, and how to set up dual-stack DNS with practical dig command examples.
• DNS CNAME Record Explained — Aliases and Canonical Names — Learn how DNS CNAME records create domain aliases, when to use them over A records, and how to avoid common pitfalls like apex restrictions and CNAME chains.
• DNS MX Record Explained — Mail Exchange Configuration — Learn how DNS MX records route email to mail servers, configure priority-based failover, and set up MX records for Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and self-hosted mail.
• DNS SRV Record Explained — Service Discovery via DNS — Learn how DNS SRV records enable service discovery by advertising the host, port, priority, and weight for network services. Covers SIP, XMPP, LDAP, Active Directory, CalDAV, and more with dig examples.
• DNS TXT Record Explained — Verification, SPF, and More — Learn what DNS TXT records are, how they work, and their major use cases including domain verification, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and Let's Encrypt DNS-01 challenges. Includes dig examples and common mistakes.
• DNS CAA Record Explained — Certificate Authority Authorization — Learn how CAA records control which Certificate Authorities can issue SSL/TLS certificates for your domain, preventing unauthorized issuance and strengthening your security posture.
• DNS NS Record Explained — Nameserver Delegation — Learn how NS records delegate DNS authority to nameservers, how glue records prevent circular dependencies, and how to configure nameserver delegation for subdomains.
• DNS PTR Record Explained — Reverse DNS Lookups — Learn how PTR records enable reverse DNS lookups, mapping IP addresses back to hostnames. Covers in-addr.arpa, ip6.arpa, FCrDNS, email deliverability, and practical dig examples.
• DNS TLSA Record Explained — DANE Certificate Pinning — Learn how TLSA records enable DANE certificate pinning, binding TLS certificates to domain names via DNS. Covers usage types, DANE for SMTP and HTTPS, DNSSEC requirements, and OpenSSL examples.
• Managed DNS vs Self-Hosted DNS — Pros, Cons, and When to Choose Each — Compare managed DNS services with self-hosted DNS servers. Understand the trade-offs in cost, complexity, security, and reliability to decide which approach fits your infrastructure.
• Primary DNS vs Secondary DNS — Redundancy and Zone Transfers — Understand the difference between primary and secondary DNS servers, how zone transfers (AXFR/IXFR) keep them in sync, and how to build a redundant DNS infrastructure.
• What Is a DDoS Attack? Types, Impact, and DNS Protection — Learn what DDoS attacks are, how volumetric, protocol, and application-layer attacks work, and how anycast DNS networks protect your infrastructure.
• DNS Amplification Attacks Explained — How They Work and How to Prevent Them — Understand how DNS amplification attacks exploit open resolvers and spoofed IPs to generate massive traffic floods, and learn the prevention techniques that stop them.
• DNS Security Best Practices — Protecting Your Domain — Learn 10 actionable DNS security best practices including DNSSEC deployment, CAA records, email authentication, rate limiting, and DNS monitoring.
• DNS Cache Poisoning Explained — How It Works and How to Prevent It — Learn how DNS cache poisoning works, why the Kaminsky attack was so devastating, and how DNSSEC, source port randomization, and other defenses protect against DNS spoofing.
• DNS Tunneling Explained — How Attackers Abuse DNS and How to Detect It — Learn how DNS tunneling works, how attackers use it for data exfiltration and command-and-control, and how to detect and prevent tunneling on your network and authoritative zones.
• Multi-Provider DNS with Terraform & DNSControl — Deploy DNS zones across DNScale and Hetzner DNS for redundancy using Terraform or DNSControl.
• DNS Network Performance Monitoring — How DNScale measures real-time DNS response times from independent RIPE Atlas probes across backbone and last-mile networks worldwide.
• DNSSEC Key Management — Understand DNSSEC signing keys, DS records, and how to perform safe key rollovers without breaking DNS resolution.
• Using DNScale as Your Secondary DNS Provider — Add DNScale as a secondary DNS provider alongside your existing primary for redundancy, DDoS resilience, and global performance.
• DNSSEC vs DNS over HTTPS (DoH) — Understand the difference between DNSSEC and DNS over HTTPS. DNSSEC proves DNS records are authentic; DoH encrypts queries for privacy. Learn why you need both.
• Let's Encrypt DNS-01 Challenges with DNScale — Automate Let's Encrypt certificate issuance and renewal with DNS-01 challenges using DNScale. Works for wildcard certificates, edge-proxied origins, and servers with no public port 80.
• What is WHOIS? Domain Registration Data Explained — Learn what WHOIS is, how it works, the impact of GDPR on domain privacy, and how RDAP is replacing WHOIS as the modern standard for registration data lookup.
• CNAME Records Explained — Understand how CNAME records work, their limitations, and when to use them. Includes examples for the DNScale dashboard and API.
• CNAME vs A Record — Understand the differences between CNAME and A records, when to use each, and how to choose the right DNS record type for your domain setup.
• DNS Attacks and Threats — Learn about common DNS attacks including DDoS, cache poisoning, DNS tunneling, and amplification attacks, and how to protect your infrastructure.
• DNS Delegation for DNScale Regions — How to update nameserver delegation at your registrar for DNScale zones, including the nameserver sets for each region (EU, GLOBAL, EU_GLOBAL).
• DNS Propagation Explained — Understand what DNS propagation is, why DNS changes take time to spread across the internet, and how to check propagation status for your domain.
• DNS Record Types - Complete Guide to Supported Records — A comprehensive guide to all DNS record types supported by DNScale, including A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, SRV, NS, PTR, CAA, TLSA, SSHFP, HTTPS, SVCB, and ALIAS records.
• DNS Redirects and URL Forwarding — Learn how DNS redirects work, the difference between 301 and 302 redirects, and how to use CNAME records, HTTP redirects, and URL forwarding for your domain.
• DNS TTL Best Practices — Learn recommended TTL values for different DNS record types, how to optimize TTL for migrations, performance, and reliability.
• Domain Registrar vs DNS Hosting — Understand the key differences between a domain registrar and DNS hosting. DNScale explains how each service works and why both are vital for managing your domain.
• Email Security with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC — Learn how to protect your domain from email spoofing using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. Step-by-step guide for dashboard and API setup on DNScale.
• Fix: DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NO_INTERNET — Learn what the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NO_INTERNET error means and how to fix it on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chrome with step-by-step solutions.
• Global DNS Resolution Balancing — How DNScale steers DNS queries over an Anycast network to the closest Point of Presence for lower latency and higher resilience.
• How to Close Your Account — Learn how to permanently close your DNScale account, what happens to your data, and how to resolve outstanding invoices before closing.
• How to Flush Your DNS Cache — Step-by-step instructions to flush your DNS cache on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chrome. Learn why and when to clear your DNS cache.
• How to Update Your Payment Method — Learn how to update your credit card, change your default payment method, or update billing information on your DNScale account.
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Guide — Learn what multi-factor authentication is, how to enable 2FA on your DNScale account using an authenticator app or a hardware security key, and how the login flow works with MFA enabled.
• Multi-User Accounts and Zone Access Control — Learn how to invite team members to your DNScale account, assign roles, and control which DNS zones each user can access.
• Paid Plans vs Pay As You Go — Understand the differences between DNScale's subscription plans and Pay As You Go pricing, and find out which option suits your needs best.
• SSL and TLS Certificates Explained — Understand what SSL and TLS certificates are, how they protect your website, and why every site should use them.
• System Records: Why Some DNS Records Are Protected — Learn what system records are in DNS, why SOA and apex NS records are protected from modification, and how DNS providers manage them automatically.
• Types of DNS Servers Explained — Learn about the different types of DNS servers, how they work, and why they are essential for the internet. DNScale explains recursive, root, TLD, and authoritative DNS servers.
• Understanding DNS Query Usage — Learn how to monitor your DNS query usage, understand excess volume charges, and access your billing history in DNScale.
• What Is a CAA Record — Learn how CAA records control which Certificate Authorities can issue SSL/TLS certificates for your domain. Includes examples for the DNScale dashboard and API.
• What Is a DNS Zone — Learn what a DNS zone is and how it organises the records that define your domain's online presence.
• What Is a PTR Record — Learn how PTR records enable reverse DNS lookups, mapping IP addresses to domain names. Includes examples for the DNScale dashboard and API.
• What Is a TLSA Record — Learn how TLSA records enable DANE for certificate authentication, providing an alternative to traditional CA validation. Includes examples for the DNScale dashboard and API.
• What Is a TXT Record — Learn what TXT records are and how they're used for domain verification, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Includes examples for the DNScale dashboard and API.
• What Is an A Record — Learn what an A record is and how it connects your domain name to the correct IPv4 address. Includes examples for the DNScale dashboard and API.
• What Is an AAAA Record — Learn what an AAAA record is and how it connects your domain name to an IPv6 address. Includes examples for the DNScale dashboard and API.
• What Is an ALIAS Record — Learn how ALIAS records enable CNAME-like functionality at the root domain. Includes examples for the DNScale dashboard and API.
• What Is an HTTPS Record — Learn how HTTPS records enable faster connections with HTTP/3, ECH, and connection hints. Includes examples for the DNScale dashboard and API.
• What Is an MX Record — Learn how MX records direct email to the right mail servers, including priority settings. Includes examples for the DNScale dashboard and API.
• What Is an NS Record — Learn how NS records delegate DNS authority to nameservers. Includes examples for the DNScale dashboard and API.
• What Is an SOA Record — Learn what an SOA (Start of Authority) record is, what each field means, and how it controls zone transfers, caching, and DNS authority for your domain.
• What Is an SRV Record — Learn how SRV records enable service discovery by specifying host and port information for services. Includes examples for the DNScale dashboard and API.
• What Is an SSHFP Record — Learn how SSHFP records publish SSH host key fingerprints in DNS for server verification. Includes examples for the DNScale dashboard and API.
• What Is an SSL Certificate Chain — Learn what an SSL certificate chain is, how the chain of trust works from root to leaf certificates, and how to diagnose common certificate chain errors.
• What Is an SVCB Record — Learn how SVCB records enable service binding and discovery for any protocol. Includes examples for the DNScale dashboard and API.
• What is DNS? The Domain Name System Explained — Learn what DNS is, how it works, and why the Domain Name System is essential for the modern internet. Discover how DNScale helps make DNS fast, secure, and reliable.
• What Is IPv6 and How Does It Differ from IPv4 — Discover the key differences between IPv4 and IPv6 and why the internet is shifting toward the newer protocol.
• What Is My IP Address (Windows and Mac) — Learn what an IP address is, why it matters, and how to find it on Windows and Mac. DNScale explains how your IP connects your device to the internet.
• What Is Secondary DNS — Learn what secondary DNS is, how primary and secondary nameservers work together, and why redundant DNS is essential for domain reliability.
• What Is TTL — Discover what Time to Live (TTL) means in DNS and how it affects the speed and accuracy of record updates across the internet.
• Zone Import Methods — Learn about the different ways to import DNS zones into DNScale, including manual creation, BIND file import, provider migration, and DNS discovery.