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Child Name servers are private labelled name servers which are registered with domain registry under your own domain name.
A child nameserver, also known as a subordinate nameserver, is a nameserver that is authoritative for a specific zone within a larger domain. In the Domain Name System (DNS), nameservers are responsible for translating domain names into IP addresses.
When you register a domain name, you need to specify the nameservers that are authoritative for that domain. These nameservers are called parent nameservers. However, if you want to delegate control of a subdomain to another set of nameservers, you can set up child nameservers.
For example, if you own the domain “example.com” and you want to delegate control of a subdomain like “sub.example.com” to a different set of nameservers, you can create child nameservers for “sub.example.com” and specify them in the DNS records for the parent domain.
Child nameservers typically have their own DNS zone files and are responsible for resolving queries for the specific subdomain they are authoritative for. This delegation allows for better organization and management of DNS records, especially in complex network environments with multiple subdomains.
When you delegate a subdomain to child nameservers, it means that you’re essentially telling the DNS system that a specific set of nameservers is responsible for handling DNS queries related to that subdomain. This delegation allows you to distribute DNS management responsibilities across different servers and administrators, which can be useful for various reasons, such as:
Load Distribution:
By delegating subdomains to different nameservers, you can distribute DNS query loads across multiple servers, reducing the load on any single server and improving overall performance and scalability.
Administrative Control:
Delegating subdomains allows different administrators or organizations to have control over different parts of a domain’s DNS configuration. This can be helpful in large organizations or collaborations where different departments or entities require autonomy over their DNS settings.
Geographic Distribution:
You can use child nameservers to provide DNS resolution services closer to the end-users by setting up nameservers in different geographic locations. This helps improve DNS response times and reliability for users in different regions.
Security Isolation:
By delegating subdomains to separate nameservers, you can isolate DNS management and potentially limit the impact of security breaches or misconfigurations. For example, if one set of child nameservers is compromised, it may not affect the DNS resolution for other subdomains.
To set up child nameservers, you typically need to configure NS (Name Server) records in the parent domain’s DNS settings, pointing to the authoritative nameservers for the subdomain. Additionally, you need to configure the child nameservers with the appropriate DNS zone files and records to handle DNS queries for the delegated subdomain.
Certainly! Let’s delve a bit further into the technical aspects of child nameservers and their role in the Domain Name System (DNS).
NS Records:
When you delegate a subdomain to child nameservers, you need to create NS (Name Server) records in the parent domain’s DNS zone file. These NS records specify the authoritative nameservers for the delegated subdomain. For example:luaCopy codesub.example.com. IN NS ns1.sub.example.com. sub.example.com. IN NS ns2.sub.example.com. These NS records tell the DNS resolver that queries for “sub.example.com” should be directed to the nameservers “ns1.sub.example.com” and “ns2.sub.example.com”.
Glue Records:
When configuring NS records for child nameservers, you may also need to create corresponding glue records. Glue records are A (IPv4 address) or AAAA (IPv6 address) records that provide IP addresses for the child nameservers. These glue records are necessary when the authoritative nameservers for the subdomain are within the same domain. For example:cssCopy codens1.sub.example.com. IN A 192.0.2.1 ns2.sub.example.com. IN A 192.0.2.2 These glue records associate the nameservers “ns1.sub.example.com” and “ns2.sub.example.com” with their respective IP addresses.
Zone Files:
Child nameservers have their own DNS zone files that define the DNS records for the delegated subdomain. These zone files contain records such as A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, etc., that specify the DNS configuration for the subdomain.
Authority:
The child nameservers are authoritative for the delegated subdomain, meaning they are responsible for providing authoritative responses to DNS queries for that subdomain. They maintain and serve the DNS records for the subdomain.
Delegation Hierarchy of child nameserver:
DNS operates in a hierarchical manner, and delegating a subdomain to child nameservers establishes a new level of hierarchy within the DNS namespace. This delegation allows for efficient distribution of DNS management responsibilities and enables better organization of DNS configurations for large or complex domains.
By understanding these technical aspects, you can effectively configure and manage child nameservers to delegate control of subdomains and optimize DNS resolution for your domain infrastructure.
Overall, child nameservers provide a flexible and scalable way to manage DNS resolution for complex domain structures, allowing you to tailor DNS configurations to your specific needs and requirements.