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DNS update strategy

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DNS update strategy.md

What’s the Best Practice for changing a DNS record?

For something relatively simple like modifying a single record to a domain, it might feel like overkill to have a “plan” or “strategy” – but given the very public severity of screwing up DNS some caution is warranted. It’s like the old saying: “A packet of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

There’s a simple way to limit your mistakes: never update both a DNS record and a TTL for that record at the same time. Ideally you’ll have a process of:

• Drop TTL on the DNS record to something very low a couple of days before you actually need to make the switch. Ex: 300 seconds
• Change the actual record on your cutover date.
• Several days after you’ve made the switch, up the TTL to something higher.