Host a domain somewhere else, but keep sub-domain on our actual server?
We have a dedicated Windows Web Server 2008 for our web site, mail server, ftp server, etc. (let's say the domain name is MyDomain.com).
We just created a new version of our web site, and we would like to know if it's possible to host the web site for MyDomain.com at a 3rd party (which is using Linux), but keep all the subdomains related to that MyDomain.com to the actual dedicated server?
The easiest would be to do a "Redirect", but we want to keep the domain name in the URL bar once the page is loaded.
Any suggestion on how we can do that?
(Without IFRAME. Search engines doesn't like that)
We just created a new version of our web site, and we would like to know if it's possible to host the web site for MyDomain.com at a 3rd party (which is using Linux), but keep all the subdomains related to that MyDomain.com to the actual dedicated server?
The easiest would be to do a "Redirect", but we want to keep the domain name in the URL bar once the page is loaded.
Any suggestion on how we can do that?
(Without IFRAME. Search engines doesn't like that)
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Yes. That is exactly correct. You must have an A record for each domain and subdomain.
The high-level domain (.com) is managed by some higher power that was appointed by the DNS root called "." (that's dot).
The .com administrator, through your domain registrar, authorized you (the owner of "mydomain.com" ) to adminster that "zone".
You, as the mydomain.com administrator are free to create subdomains and, if you want, delegate them to others.
Each one would have a DNS record on your "authoratative" DNS server. You could create records under mydomain,com called www, ftp, pop3, smtp, mail, customers, walter....... whatever you want to include. Each subdomain would be pointed to an IP address. That way, you could have www.mydomain.com point to your web server. mail.mydomain.com point to a webmail server. customers.mydomain.com point to your customer portal. etc...
I'm glad that they thought of this or we would have some verry interestng advertising. like visit The Yahoo Search Engine at 98.139.183.24 -- not too easy to remember.
The high-level domain (.com) is managed by some higher power that was appointed by the DNS root called "." (that's dot).
The .com administrator, through your domain registrar, authorized you (the owner of "mydomain.com" ) to adminster that "zone".
You, as the mydomain.com administrator are free to create subdomains and, if you want, delegate them to others.
Each one would have a DNS record on your "authoratative" DNS server. You could create records under mydomain,com called www, ftp, pop3, smtp, mail, customers, walter....... whatever you want to include. Each subdomain would be pointed to an IP address. That way, you could have www.mydomain.com point to your web server. mail.mydomain.com point to a webmail server. customers.mydomain.com point to your customer portal. etc...
I'm glad that they thought of this or we would have some verry interestng advertising. like visit The Yahoo Search Engine at 98.139.183.24 -- not too easy to remember.
You can upload your files to the new server and test before going live.
Just create a record in your "hosts" file on some PC that points to the new IP address. You could use something like:
66.55.44.33 test.mydomain.com # My test server
In the browser on that machine enter http://test.mydomain.com and you should see your website on the new server. You can check to make sure that the code you used on the windows server is completely compatible with the linux server.
Once you are sure the new site is working the way you want it, update the A-record on your DNS server. It can take up to 48 hours for the DNS system to propagate around the world, so don't take down the old server for a couple days.
In windows, the hosts file is usually:
c:\windows\system32\driver
The hosts file is what they used before someone thought of DNS.
The hosts file will always override the DNS system. That is sometimes used by hackers to hijack browsers.
George
Just create a record in your "hosts" file on some PC that points to the new IP address. You could use something like:
66.55.44.33 test.mydomain.com # My test server
In the browser on that machine enter http://test.mydomain.com and you should see your website on the new server. You can check to make sure that the code you used on the windows server is completely compatible with the linux server.
Once you are sure the new site is working the way you want it, update the A-record on your DNS server. It can take up to 48 hours for the DNS system to propagate around the world, so don't take down the old server for a couple days.
In windows, the hosts file is usually:
c:\windows\system32\driver
The hosts file is what they used before someone thought of DNS.
The hosts file will always override the DNS system. That is sometimes used by hackers to hijack browsers.
George
We have finished the move.
We started by creating subdomains like mail.mydomain.com, ftp.mydomain.com, www.mydomain.com.
I've setuped the MX record of mydomain.com to mail.mydomain.com (point at our old server).
Then we have pointed www.mydomain.com to our new server.
And finally, once everything was working, we pointed the "root" of mydomain.com to the new server.
So what you said is true, each subdomain have their own A-Record and can point where you want.
Everything work like a charm. It took a while for customers to end-up on new server, but by doing an ipconfig /flushdns after 1h, i was able to see the new web server on my computer.
Thanks a lot for your lights
We started by creating subdomains like mail.mydomain.com, ftp.mydomain.com, www.mydomain.com.
I've setuped the MX record of mydomain.com to mail.mydomain.com (point at our old server).
Then we have pointed www.mydomain.com to our new server.
And finally, once everything was working, we pointed the "root" of mydomain.com to the new server.
So what you said is true, each subdomain have their own A-Record and can point where you want.
Everything work like a charm. It took a while for customers to end-up on new server, but by doing an ipconfig /flushdns after 1h, i was able to see the new web server on my computer.
Thanks a lot for your lights
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