Secondary DNS at DNSimple

Table of Contents

• Understand secondary DNS
• Set up DNSimple as primary
• Set up DNSimple as secondary
• Multi-provider without zone transfers
• Troubleshoot
• Reference
• Related articles
• Have more questions?

Secondary DNS lets more than one DNS provider answer for your domain. At DNSimple you can run outbound secondary DNS (DNSimple as primary), inbound secondary DNS (DNSimple as secondary), or keep multiple providers in sync without zone transfers. This page is the starting point for Secondary DNS documentation.

Understand secondary DNS

New to secondary DNS? Start with the first article below.

• What is Secondary DNS? - Primary vs secondary roles, AXFR, and inbound vs outbound at DNSimple.
• DNS Redundancy Options at DNSimple - When to add multi-provider DNS and which approach to choose.
• Why DNSSEC and Secondary DNS May Not Work Together - Compatibility considerations when combining DNSSEC with secondary DNS.
• How ALIAS Records Resolve with Secondary DNS - How ALIAS records are resolved before a zone transfer.

Set up DNSimple as primary

Outbound AXFR: DNSimple holds the zone; another provider is secondary.

• Add a secondary DNS server to DNSimple - Enable outbound secondary DNS for any provider, including custom settings and name server sets.
• Adding Dyn as a Secondary DNS Server - Provider-specific steps for Dyn Standard and Dyn Managed.
• Add DNSMadeEasy as a secondary DNS server - Provider-specific steps, including the IP set DNSMadeEasy needs.
• Adding EasyDNS as a Secondary DNS Server - Provider-specific steps for adding the domain and DNSimple as primary at EasyDNS.

Set up DNSimple as secondary

Inbound AXFR: an external primary holds the zone; DNSimple is the secondary. Available on the Teams plan or higher.

• Add DNSimple as a secondary DNS server - Create a secondary zone, link a primary server, and allow DNSimple’s transfer IPs at your primary.
• Add DNSimple as Secondary DNS with a Hidden Primary - Keep your primary off public delegation while DNSimple answers queries.

Multi-provider without zone transfers

• Using DNSimple alongside other DNS providers - Keep two providers in sync yourself with the API, zone imports, or infrastructure-as-code tools.

Troubleshoot

• Troubleshoot Secondary DNS Zone Transfers - How to find where a transfer stopped when a secondary zone is no longer updating.

Reference

• Secondary DNS Field Reference - Every configuration field in both directions, with limits and accepted formats.
• Secondary DNS Glossary - Definitions for zone transfers, AXFR, NOTIFY, SOA serials, leader and follower, and related terms.
• Secondary DNS API - API endpoints for primary servers and secondary zones when DNSimple is the secondary.

Related articles

These live in other categories but come up often alongside secondary DNS:

• What Are Empty Non-Terminals (ENT)? - A difference in behavior between providers that can look like a record missing after a transfer.
• DNSimple Name Servers - The name servers to include in your delegation when DNSimple is one of two providers.
• What Is Anycast DNS and Why Use It? - Why every DNSimple zone is already served redundantly before you add a second provider.

Have more questions?

If you have any questions about secondary DNS, contact support, and we’ll be happy to help.