Hello,
I recently signed up for Linode and have a question about DNS. I have gone through previous posts but did not find the answer.

My domain (i.e. www.mydomain.com) is registered with GoDaddy.

Currently what i have done is from GoDaddy control panel i changed the A record for my domain to point to my Linode IP. My website works fine.
While going through the articles in Linode Library, i notice an article on DNS - Configuring DNS with Linode Manager

Question:
Could someone please explain the benefits and drawbacks of using Registrar DNS vs Linode DNS?

Thanks.

- Much easier to manage with Linode, as they've got a better interface with less annoying bloat and garishness than GoDaddy
- GoDaddy has a reputation for hijacking domains
- Linode's DNS services are accessible by the linode API, and so can be scripted/automated

That's what comes to mind, anyhow.

All of the above.

Unfortunately, just using linode's DNS servers doesn't fix this problem entirely. The fix for this is to get off of godaddy and use another registrar.

Great! Thanks folks.

I used GoDaddy as just an example (i do have domain with them and i agree with Guspaz on second point)

I was more looking for comparison between Registrars as whole Vs Linode, and i think i got my answer > Linode wins.

That raised me another question that how are the request processed if Linode DNS is used.

Is it correct -
User request the website > [Root DNS > to other top level DNS] > then i guess Registrar(i.e. GoDaddy) > Linode DNS > then my site/IP.
Just trying to understand how user to website are resolved.

Well, Linode does not provide registrar services, so when you talk about comparing them to registrars, you're really talking about comparing Linode to DNS hosting services that may be offered by a company who is also able to act as a registrar. You'll need a registrar even if using Linode's DNS servers though.

The registrar is not actually involved in the real time resolution of names. The root servers are queried for NS records to identify the server to talk to for a particular top level domain, which is then queried directly and need not have any relationship to the registrar that created the domain record. The registrar handles the administration of reserving a domain name and configuring the information used for the whois database(es) and root nameserver configurations.

It's true that many (most/all?) registrars also operate DNS servers and can host the DNS records for a domain you acquire through them, but that is a distinct activity from their registrar role. So if, for example, you use GoDaddy's interface to point the NS records for a domain somewhere else (say Linode's servers), then GoDaddy is only serving as registrar past that point - e.g., just administrative management of the domain itself, but none of its DNS records.

-- David

Apologies if this is a little off topic.

One of my family members bought a domain name through uk2.net. Some cheap deal where there 'dns management' is via an iframe. Now if I remember correctly, one of the (very few!) free things they can do with this account is change the ns address. They have to pay to upgrade to get dns, or to move to another registrar (where dns might be offered for free).

So can I point them at linode and configure their uk2net domain in my linode account?

@graq:

If the registrar truly allows you to change the name servers, then yes.

If not, find another, normal registrar? It shouldn't be that expensive.

_________________
Matt Nordhoff (aka Peng on IRC)

@db3l
Thanks for the explanation. That clears the picture...
appreciated!