Neutral Would a DNS check before switching nameservers make site moves easier?

[NiceNIC_COM]

A hosting account can be ready while the new DNS zone still needs work. Changing nameservers at that point can send DNS queries to servers that aren't ready for the domain.

.de checks for this before accepting an update: the proposed servers must be reachable and authoritative.

Would you want more domain extensions to make that check mandatory, or would you rather get a warning and choose when to proceed?

 

[cdnca6688]

Yes, a pre-switch DNS check saves a lot of pain. The things I'd want it to compare between the old and new nameservers before you flip:

- Every record, not just A/AAAA: MX, TXT (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, domain verification), CNAMEs for subdomains, and any SRV records. Mail breaking silently is the classic migration surprise.
- TTLs: drop them to something like 300 seconds a day or two before the move, so a mistake doesn't stick around for hours.
- The new zone answering authoritatively for the domain before the registrar change, so you can test it directly against the new nameservers.
- DNSSEC: if DS records are set at the registrar, remove or update them first, or resolvers will fail validation after the switch.

After the switch, keep the old zone alive for a few days, because some resolvers will still query the old nameservers until the NS TTL expires.