SOA Record Lookup
SOA defines zone authority and update timing; serial increments when zone content changes.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a DNS SOA record?
- The Start of Authority record defines the primary nameserver for a zone, the responsible mailbox, the serial number, and timers for refresh, retry, expire, and minimum TTL.
- What does the SOA serial mean?
- It is a version number for the zone. Many operators use a YYYYMMDDnn format; others use an incrementing or Unix time value. It should increase when the zone changes.
- Why do refresh and retry matter?
- Secondary nameservers use refresh to know when to check for updates and retry when a refresh fails. These values affect how quickly changes propagate between authorities.
- What is the responsible email (RNAME)?
- RNAME encodes the mailbox of the zone administrator using dots. The first dot represents the @ in the email address and escaped dots are preserved.
- Why are SOA serials mismatched across nameservers?
- A lagging secondary or transfer failure can leave different serials on different authorities. Once transfers succeed, serials should match.