What is a DNS record?
A Domain Name System (DNS) record is used to point a domain name to the IP address of a website.
For example, if the domain name example.com is pointed to the IP address 1.1.XX.XX of a website server, visitors can access the website by using the domain name.
Why do I need to configure a DNS record?
After a DNS record is configured, the corresponding domain name can be converted to the specified IP address for computer communication. This allows visitors to access the website or service by using the domain name.
What do I need to prepare before I configure a DNS record?
Preparations
1. Obtain a domain name. You can click Get Your Domain Name With Alibaba Cloud to purchase a domain name.
2. Select an authoritative DNS service, such as Alibaba Cloud DNS. For more information, see Alibaba Cloud DNS.
3. Obtain the IP address of the application server. The Record Value parameter will be set to this IP address.
If you use an Elastic Compute Service (ECS) instance or an exclusive vSwitch, you can log on to the product console to view the assigned IP address.
If you purchase a website, we recommend that you contact the website provider to obtain the IP address.
4. Make sure that the domain name passes real-name verification. Make sure that the domain name has an Internet Content Provider (ICP) number if the server is located in the Chinese mainland. For more information about the ICP filing, see What is an ICP filing.
5. After you complete the preceding steps, log on to the Alibaba Cloud DNS console to configure a DNS record.
Website applications
For a website application, you can add an A record or a canonical name (CNAME) record to point the domain name to an IP address.
A records provide the simplest way to point domain names to IP addresses. The value of the Record Value parameter of an A record is the server IP address that is obtained from your server service provider or website provider.
The value of the Record Value parameter of a CNAME record is a domain name instead of an IP address. It is used to point a domain name to another domain name (CNAME) that is mapped to an IP address.
Email applications
For an email application, you must add a mail exchanger (MX) record for its domain name. To ensure that a mailbox can be created, you must also add a CNAME record and a text (TXT) record for the domain name. If you do not know how to specify the parameters including Hostname, Record Type, and Record Value when you add the preceding records, contact your email service provider.
How do I configure a DNS record?
For more information about how to configure a DNS record, see Add a DNS record.