Updating DNS - Internal Mail Server

[marmaliser]

Hi Guys,

This is my first post and I think its in the correct forum, so if not, my sincerest apologies...

My client current has his domain registered but no hosting account with it. The company is part of a larger parent company that houses all its mails on an internal server at its head office.

My question is as follows - if I add a new hosting account to this domain, point the DNS to my new hosting account - will / could this have any impact on their (internal) email settings? I can disable the mail server on the new hosting account, but by changing the DNS, am I risking e-mail meltdown?

I've been reading about A records / MX Records etc etc, but just wondering if its as simple as disabling the mail server on the new account...

Thanks in advance for any assistance given..

Marmaliser

 

[mneylon]

It depends on how the dns is configured ...

Say you have the domain domain1.tld

It's A records could point to one server / IP

Meanwhile you could point the MX record to somewhere else

You just need to make sure that you don't switch the MX record(s) without making sure ...

 

[marmaliser]

Thanks for that Blacknight,

.. if i can just clarify in my own head:

I have existing records (for external & backup mail servers) which I got from a MX Lookup:

xxxxxx.ie. 86400 IN MX 10 mail.xxxxxx.ie.
xxxxxx.ie. 86400 IN MX 20 relay.xxxxxx.net.
xxxxxx.ie. 86400 IN MX 30 mxbackup.xxxxxx.net.

... so, if I set up hosting account, disable default mail server settings and add the above MX details, am I safe?

Cheers for the assistance - much appreciated.

 

[mneylon]

Is the new hosting provider also going to be managing the DNS? (key question really)

 

[marmaliser]

Hi Blacknight,

.... no - the domain has already been registered and it will reamin with the original registrar. The hosting is provided by a different hosting provider... does this create a problem?

Thanks....

 

[mneylon]

I'm talking about nameservers NOT registrars

 

[marmaliser]

... my apologies - i willl be updating the DNS to point to new new hosting account - so, i guess the answer is yes, the DNS will be managed under new hosting...

... sorry if I'm unclear but relatively new to this side of things..

Thanks..

 

[mneylon]

If you are changing the nameservers - then you will need to create the existing MX records in the new DNS setup

If you are NOT changing the nameservers, but merely updating the A records for the domain then you shouldn't have to

 

[marmaliser]

Thanks Blacknight - i kind of thought that was the case.

So, I'll change nameservers to reflect new hosting, update the MX records to those that exisit (as above) and VOILA !!

... I should be sorted...

Much obliged for taking the time to go through this with me. I was a little nervous to go ahead with it without confirmation of some sort !

Thanks again.