{"id":3854,"date":"2025-12-17T08:11:03","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T08:11:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/?p=3854"},"modified":"2025-12-17T08:11:03","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T08:11:03","slug":"how-to-update-dns-records-without-downtime-in-directadmin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/how-to-update-dns-records-without-downtime-in-directadmin\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Update DNS Records Without Downtime in DirectAdmin"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-dominant-color=\"4c6276\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #4c6276;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-3856 aligncenter not-transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/How-to-Update-DNS-Records-Without-Downtime-in-DirectAdmin-711x400.avif\" alt=\"How to Update DNS Records Without Downtime in DirectAdmin\" width=\"711\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/How-to-Update-DNS-Records-Without-Downtime-in-DirectAdmin-711x400.avif 711w, https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/How-to-Update-DNS-Records-Without-Downtime-in-DirectAdmin-768x432.avif 768w, https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/How-to-Update-DNS-Records-Without-Downtime-in-DirectAdmin.avif 1366w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 711px) 100vw, 711px\" \/><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/how-to-update-dns-records-without-downtime-in-directadmin\/#What_Causes_DNS_Downtime\" >What Causes DNS Downtime?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/how-to-update-dns-records-without-downtime-in-directadmin\/#The_Golden_Rule_of_Zero-Downtime_DNS_Updates\" >The Golden Rule of Zero-Downtime DNS Updates<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/how-to-update-dns-records-without-downtime-in-directadmin\/#What_You_Need_Before_You_Start\" >What You Need Before You Start<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/how-to-update-dns-records-without-downtime-in-directadmin\/#Step_1_Reduce_TTL_Before_Making_Changes\" >Step 1: Reduce TTL Before Making Changes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/how-to-update-dns-records-without-downtime-in-directadmin\/#Step_2_Add_New_DNS_Records\" >Step 2: Add New DNS Records<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/how-to-update-dns-records-without-downtime-in-directadmin\/#Step_3_Test_the_New_Server_or_Service_Before_Final_Switch\" >Step 3: Test the New Server or Service Before Final Switch<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/how-to-update-dns-records-without-downtime-in-directadmin\/#Step_4_Monitor_DNS_Propagation\" >Step 4: Monitor DNS Propagation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/how-to-update-dns-records-without-downtime-in-directadmin\/#Step_5_Gradually_Remove_Old_Records\" >Step 5: Gradually Remove Old Records<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/how-to-update-dns-records-without-downtime-in-directadmin\/#Best_Practices_to_Avoid_Downtime_Completely\" >Best Practices to Avoid Downtime Completely<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/how-to-update-dns-records-without-downtime-in-directadmin\/#Common_Mistakes_That_Cause_Downtime\" >Common Mistakes That Cause Downtime<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/how-to-update-dns-records-without-downtime-in-directadmin\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/how-to-update-dns-records-without-downtime-in-directadmin\/#FAQs\" >FAQs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Causes_DNS_Downtime\"><\/span><strong>What Causes DNS Downtime?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Downtime usually happens when:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Old DNS records are deleted before new ones are active<\/li>\n<li>TTL values are too high<\/li>\n<li>MX records are changed incorrectly<\/li>\n<li>Nameservers are switched without preparation<\/li>\n<li>Changes are rushed without verification<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>DNS itself doesn\u2019t \u201cbreak\u201d \u2014 mistakes do. And we\u2019re going to avoid them.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Golden_Rule_of_Zero-Downtime_DNS_Updates\"><\/span><strong>The Golden Rule of Zero-Downtime DNS Updates<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Add new records first.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Verify they work.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Then remove old records.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_You_Need_Before_You_Start\"><\/span><strong>What You Need Before You Start<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/how-to-access-your-directadmin-panel\/\">Access to <strong>DirectAdmin<\/strong><\/a> on telaHosting<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>new DNS values<\/strong> (IP, MX, TXT, etc.)<\/li>\n<li>A few minutes of patience<\/li>\n<li>A DNS checker tool<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Once you have these, you\u2019re ready.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_1_Reduce_TTL_Before_Making_Changes\"><\/span><strong>Step 1: Reduce TTL Before Making Changes<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>TTL (Time To Live) controls how long DNS data is cached. If TTL is high, old records stick around longer \u2014 causing delays and confusion.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How to Lower TTL in DirectAdmin<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Log in to <strong>DirectAdmin<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Go to <strong>Account Manager \u2192 DNS Management<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Click <strong>Edit<\/strong> on the record you want to change<\/li>\n<li>Set TTL to something low, like: 300 (5 minutes)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Do this <strong>at least 30 minutes before<\/strong> making major changes.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_2_Add_New_DNS_Records\"><\/span><strong>Step 2: Add New DNS Records<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Whether you\u2019re changing:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A records (website IP)<\/li>\n<li>MX records (email routing)<\/li>\n<li>TXT records (SPF, DKIM, verification)<\/li>\n<li>CNAME records<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Add the new records first.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img data-dominant-color=\"f9fafa\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #f9fafa;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-3729 aligncenter not-transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Add-a-New-A-Record-711x400.avif\" alt=\"Add a New A-Record\" width=\"711\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Add-a-New-A-Record-711x400.avif 711w, https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Add-a-New-A-Record-768x432.avif 768w, https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Add-a-New-A-Record.avif 1366w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 711px) 100vw, 711px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Example: <\/strong>If you\u2019re moving to a new server:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Keep the old A record<\/li>\n<li>Add a <strong>second A record<\/strong> with the new IP<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Both can exist temporarily.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_3_Test_the_New_Server_or_Service_Before_Final_Switch\"><\/span><strong>Step 3: Test the New Server or Service Before Final Switch<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve added the new DNS record:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Try opening the new server\u2019s IP directly<\/li>\n<li>Use a temporary link if provided<\/li>\n<li>Test email sending\/receiving if updating MX<\/li>\n<li>Check SSL on the new server<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You want to confirm the new service is working before redirecting all traffic.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_4_Monitor_DNS_Propagation\"><\/span><strong>Step 4: <\/strong><strong>Monitor DNS Propagation<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Before removing anything, test the new records. You can use:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/dnschecker.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>dnschecker.org<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/whatsmydns.net\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>whatsmydns.net<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/mxtoolbox.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>mxtoolbox.com<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Enter your domain and select the specific DNS record you updated (A, MX, CNAME, etc.). You should begin seeing updates gradually.<\/p>\n<p>Check that:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The new IP responds<\/li>\n<li>The new mail server receives email<\/li>\n<li>SPF\/DKIM resolve correctly<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This step is what prevents downtime.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_5_Gradually_Remove_Old_Records\"><\/span><strong>Step 5: Gradually Remove Old Records<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Once you confirm the new setup works:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Go back to <strong>DNS Management<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Delete the <strong>old DNS record<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Save changes<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Because TTL is low, users will switch over quickly.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Best_Practices_to_Avoid_Downtime_Completely\"><\/span><strong>Best Practices to Avoid Downtime Completely<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Always add new DNS before removing old ones<\/li>\n<li>Never edit a live record directly \u2014 create a new one first<\/li>\n<li>Lower TTL before big changes<\/li>\n<li>Test everything before deleting anything<\/li>\n<li>Avoid multiple conflicting A or CNAME records<\/li>\n<li>Ensure SSL is active on the new server<\/li>\n<li>Wait for full propagation before removing old DNS<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Common_Mistakes_That_Cause_Downtime\"><\/span><strong>Common Mistakes That Cause Downtime<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Avoid these and you\u2019ll stay safe:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Deleting records too early<\/li>\n<li>Leaving TTL too high<\/li>\n<li>Changing MX records instantly<\/li>\n<li>Forgetting SPF updates<\/li>\n<li>Switching nameservers blindly<\/li>\n<li>Making multiple changes at once<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Slow and steady wins here.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Updating DNS records doesn\u2019t have to be stressful. With the right approach, you can make changes in DirectAdmin <strong>without any downtime at all<\/strong>. The key is preparation, patience, and never rushing the process.<\/p>\n<p>Whether you\u2019re moving servers, changing email providers, or adding new services, these steps keep your website live and your emails flowing.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs\"><\/span><strong>FAQs<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>1. How long should I lower TTL before DNS changes?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>At least 30 minutes \u2014 24 hours.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Can I update DNS during business hours?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes, if you follow the zero-downtime method.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Will users notice anything?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>No \u2014 changes happen silently when done correctly.<\/p>\n<p><strong>4. What\u2019s the safest TTL value?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>300 seconds (5 minutes) is ideal during updates.<\/p>\n<p><strong>5. What if something goes wrong?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Restore the old DNS record \u2014 that\u2019s why we don\u2019t delete it first.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What Causes DNS Downtime? Downtime usually happens when: Old DNS records are deleted before new ones are active TTL values are too high MX records are changed incorrectly Nameservers are switched without preparation Changes are rushed without verification DNS itself doesn\u2019t \u201cbreak\u201d \u2014 mistakes do. And we\u2019re going to avoid them. The Golden Rule of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":3856,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[33,1,21],"tags":[54,60,66,88],"class_list":["post-3854","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-directadmin","category-general","category-hosting","tag-directadmin","tag-dns","tag-dns-propagation","tag-downtime"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3854","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3854"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3854\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3857,"href":"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3854\/revisions\/3857"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3854"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3854"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/telahosting.com\/manual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3854"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}