Copy the complete zone’s function
Export or inventory records, including mail authentication, subdomains, verification and CAA. Redirects and proxy settings may be extra services rather than portable DNS records. Prepare those separately before changing delegation.
Treat DNSSEC as a separate migration step
DNSSEC links the zone to registry key data. Old DS records can break validation after moving to differently signed DNS. Arrange a careful DNSSEC migration, then switch nameservers and retain the old zone while caches expire. Test from multiple networks.
Your practical checklist
- Prepare the full new zone.
- Plan DNSSEC separately.
- Copy the exact assigned nameservers.
- Keep the old zone temporarily.
A useful question
Can I mix an old and a new nameserver?
Not casually. All delegated servers need to publish consistent authoritative data.
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Sources & further reading
Original guide by chname.ch editorial. Archive dates organise this library; this guide was created and reviewed on . Provider and registry instructions take precedence when requirements change.