Create a CNAME Record in UltraDNS

This article explains how to create a CNAME record in UltraDNS which is a DNS resource record that creates an alias from one hostname to another hostname. 

You will use a CNAME record when one hostname should resolve through another canonical hostname instead of directly pointing to an IP address.

When to Use This Article

• You need to create a new CNAME record for a domain managed in UltraDNS.
• You need one hostname to point to another canonical hostname.
• You are adding an alias record from the UltraDNS Managed Services Portal.

Before You Begin

• Confirm that the domain already exists in UltraDNS.
• Confirm that you have permission to add records in the selected domain.
• Confirm the canonical hostname that the CNAME record should point to.
• The Points To value must be a fully qualified domain name, with or without a trailing dot.
• The Points To value must resolve to an IP address for the CNAME record to function.

Steps

1. Log in to UltraDNS.
2. Click Domains.
3. Select the domain where you want to create the CNAME record.
4. In the CNAME (Canonical Name / Alias) section, click Add Record.
   1. If the CNAME section is not visible, click Settings and enable the CNAME record type.
   2. If the CNAME section is collapsed, expand the section to display the available record options.
5. Enter the CNAME record details.
   1. Host - Enter the hostname for the alias record.
   2. Points To - Enter the canonical hostname that the CNAME should point to.
   3. TTL - Enter the Time to Live value in seconds. This field is optional and uses the configured default value if left blank.
6. Click Save.

Expected Outcome

The new CNAME record appears in the CNAME (Canonical Name / Alias) section for the selected domain.

After the record is saved, DNS resolvers can return the configured canonical hostname for queries to the alias hostname, subject to normal DNS caching based on the configured TTL.

Important Notes

• A CNAME record must point to a hostname, not directly to an IP address.
• If the canonical hostname does not resolve, the alias hostname will not resolve successfully through the CNAME chain.
• The TTL value controls how long resolvers may cache the record response.