Think of your domain as your company’s digital street address. Without proper management, it’s like letting the front door of your business fall off its hinges.
Whether you’re a small business owner, a blogger, or an IT pro, managing your online presence starts with understanding domain management. It is the backbone of ensuring your website is accessible, secure, and reliable, keeping your digital assets running smoothly.
In the following guide, we’ll unpack the question “What is domain management?” and outline what it takes to manage your domain name system (DNS) effectively. You’ll also learn how domain management services can simplify the process and optimize the accessibility of your site.
What Is Domain Management?
At its core, domain management involves overseeing and maintaining all aspects of your domain name. It’s about keeping your domain active, functional, and protected, ensuring your website, email, and other online services work together.
The process of domain management primarily consists of the following steps:
- Registering and renewing your domain to maintain ownership over it
- Configuring DNS settings to direct traffic to your website or email servers
- Securing your domain against threats like hijacking or unauthorized transfers
Domain management services streamline these tasks by providing you with the tools and knowledge necessary to ensure reliability and security. The right domain management software and support will also help promote better accessibility, which is critical to growing your online presence… phew!
What Is Domain Registration?
Domain registration is a critical piece of domain management. It’s the process of reserving your unique domain name (i.e., yourbusiness.com) through a domain registrar, an accredited organization that operates under the oversight of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). A domain registry maintains the database of all domain names under a specific top-level domain (TLD), such as .com, .org, or .co.
When choosing a domain name, you should keep the following tips in mind:
- Choose something easy to remember
- Pick the right TLD
- Provide accurate information
You can pick-your-own-adventure: either purchase a new domain or transfer an existing one for easier management.
Key Components of Domain Management
With a basic understanding of domain management down, let’s review the main pillars of effective domain management:
Domain Registration & Renewals
It’s important to remember that your domain doesn’t belong to you forever; you must consistently renew it. Letting it lapse will cost you traffic and lead to downtime, and if you don’t take care of these issues quickly enough, someone else will be able to claim your domain name (yikes!).
The domain expiration process (and how long each stage of it lasts) can be broken down as follows:
- Auto-Renew Grace Period: 0 to 45 days after expiration
- Redemption Grace Period: 30 days
- Pending Deletion: Five days
- Released: The domain name is now available to anyone
With the threat of losing your domain in mind, you should keep track of your expiration date and set a reminder to renew when the deadline approaches. Worried that a phone alarm or calendar alert won’t be quite enough? Thankfully, many registrars offer auto-renewal options!
DNS Configuration & Records
DNS records determine how your domain interacts with the internet. Common types include:
- “A” Records: Point your domain to an IP address
- CNAME Records: Aliases used to point one domain to another
- MX Records: Direct email to your mail server
- TXT Records: Hold text data, often for verification or security
If these records aren’t set up correctly, your domain may be slow or insecure. Domain management software can help you keep up with all of these settings and minimize the risk of issues.
Security Considerations
Securing your domain protects your brand and site visitors. Some best practices to work with include the following:
- Use unique logins
- Enable Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC)
- Use WHOIS privacy to reduce spam
- Enable registry locks, which prevent unauthorized domain transfers
- Monitor and audit your domain to catch issues early
- Use an SSL Certificate to encrypt and authenticate the connection between users and the website
Clearly there is a lot to consider when it comes to protecting your domain, which can quickly become overwhelming! That’s why it’s important to partner with an experienced domain manager so that you can avoid any potentially catastrophic security oversights.
Benefits of Using a Managed DNS Service
Thankfully, help is available: managed DNS service can eliminate the hassles of monitoring and configuring your Domain Name System. In particular, some of their key benefits are as follows:
Speed & Reliability
Managed DNS services use Anycast networks, which distribute DNS queries across multiple servers worldwide to resolve requests faster. The result is that your website will load quickly, even during traffic spikes. Choosing a reliable DNS service provider can put a stop to many load-time headaches that could impact your ranking on Google.
Security Enhancements
Transitioning to managed DNS services can help protect you against threats like DDoS attacks and domain hijacking. With redundant infrastructure, your domain will stay online, even when under attack. Features like DNSSEC and robust monitoring add further layers of protection to safeguard your site’s visitors.
Before choosing a DNS provider, make sure they follow the latest security protocols. If you are in an industry that is subject to specific regulatory frameworks (i.e., healthcare, finance), discuss those concerns as well.
Ease of Management
If you’ve tried managing your DNS, you know it can be quite the headache. A managed DNS service, in contrast, provides you with a simple control panel and automation tools to save you time. You’ll avoid the hassle of manual domain management and can spend more energy focusing on the day-to-day operations of your business.
Top managed service providers also assist with API integrations and can even offer automated DNS failover, which switches your traffic to another server if the primary server becomes unavailable.
Free vs. Paid DNS
Domain registrars often offer free DNS services. But for as much as that nonexistent price tag is appealing, you won’t get much in the way of support. On the other hand, paid providers offer DNS hosting, automation, and better security.
Choosing the Right Domain Management Solution
Now it’s time to make the decision! When selecting a domain management partner, consider the following questions:
- Can it handle growing numbers of domains or traffic?
- Does it offer DNSSEC, registry lock, and DDoS protection?
- Is the interface user-friendly?
When it comes to domain management, one name stands above the rest. No-IP combines domain registration, DNS, SSL certificates, and other services in one convenient platform. In addition to being cost-effective, each provides high availability and robust security, making them ideal for businesses of all sizes.
How to Get Started With No-IP’s Managed DNS
No-IP makes both domain registration and management easier than ever. As a DNS manager and solutions provider, No-IP offers the speed, security, and user-friendly interface needed to manage all of your domains in one place. Explore our Managed DNS services today for a secure and seamless experience.