What is a Glue Record (or Additional record)?
A glue record (or additional record) also known as A Record (or IP Address) is a type of DNS record that associates a domain name with an IP address, allowing the domain name to be translated into the appropriate IP address when it is accessed. Setting up "glue records" is the act of showing the IP address of authoritative DNS servers on a domain name at the registry level in addition to the host names.
Why are Glue Records Important?
When configuring a domain’s DNS settings, it's common to assign nameservers that are subdomains of the domain itself. For example, for the domain mydomain.com, the nameservers might be ns1.mydomain.com and ns2.mydomain.com. In such cases, a query for the domain name might result in a circular reference, where to know the IP address of ns1.mydomain.com, one needs to know the IP address of mydomain.com first, creating a loop.
Glue records break this loop by providing the IP address of the nameservers directly, allowing for the correct resolution of the domain name and its associated subdomains. They ensure the stability and reliability of the domain’s DNS configuration, preventing potential accessibility issues.
When do you need a glue record?
Glue records are particularly important when the nameservers (eg. ns1, ns2) for a domain name (eg. domain.com) are the subdomains of the domain name itself.
Example
Domain name: mydomain.com
Nameservers: alfred.cloudflare.net, jessie.cloudflare.net
No Glue Record required
Domain name: mydomain.com
Nameservers: ns1.mydomain.com, ns2.mydomain.com
Glue Records required for ns1.mydomain.com and ns2.mydomain.com
Updating Existing Glue Records
- Go to the "Domain" Tab.
- Select "NameServer Glue Records".
- Click on "Edit".
- Choose "Update IP Address".
- Finally, click on "Update Nameserver".
Setting Up New Glue Records
- Navigate to the "Domain" Tab.
- Choose "NameServer Glue Records".
- Select Register "New Nameserver".
- Enter the necessary Nameserver details.
- Click on "Create Nameserver" to finalize.