What is a Glue Record (or Additional record / Additional section)?
A glue record (or additional record/ additional section) is a type of DNS record that associates a domain name, or more specifically a subdomain, with an IP address (also known as A Record), allowing the delegation of this domain to a name server (NS) which belongs to a subdomain. 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.
The A records for the subdomain are only required as Glue Records for nameservers (NS) that are located in the subdomain of the current zone that is being delegated.
More on Glue Records, how it works, explained in a comic! ⇢ https://howdns.works/ep7/
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, as follows:
ns1.mydomain.com. IN A XXX.XX.XXX.XXX ns2.mydomain.com. IN A XXX.XX.XXX.XXX
Navigating to the section where you can modify or establish Nameserver Glue records is straightforward, see below.
After submission, the modifications take effect almost immediately.
Important: In order to manage Glue Records, the parent domain must be registered and managed with SafeBrands™.
Updating Existing Glue Records
- Hover over the "Domain Tools" section with a wrench icon.
- Select "NameServer Glue Records".
- Search the Nameserver Glue Record you want to edit.
- Click on the burger menu (3 horizontal bars) corresponding to the Nameserver (or right-click), and click on "Edit".
- Update the IP Address as required.
- Finally, click on "Update Nameserver".
Setting Up New Glue Records
- Navigate to the "Domain Tools" section with a wrench icon.
- Choose "NameServer Glue Records".
- Select "Register New Nameserver".
- Enter the Nameserver details: hostname and IP address.
- Click on "Register Nameserver" to finalize.