Here is a quick guide to easily understand some of the DNS record types. All of them have a different role that is essential for the normal functionality of your Domain Name System (DNS).
SOA record
Start Of Authority record or, for short, SOA record is crucial to explain this record before all of the rest DNS record types. It shows the beginning of the authority DNS zone. This DNS record contains very valuable data for the DNS zone. If you want your network to operate normally without difficulties, this DNS record is a must-have. It points to the primary DNS server. The SOA record keeps the information and contact details about the DNS administrator. It also holds several parameters, for instance, the domain serial number. Note that you should have only one SOA record per DNS zone.
A record
We can’t skip mentioning the A record. Perhaps it is the most popular and well-known of all of the other DNS record types. It is also known as an address record, and its main goal is to link a hostname to its corresponding IP address. The A record is applying only for IPv4 addresses (32-bit). For IPv6 addresses (128-bit), there is a different DNS record – AAAA record.
Therefore, the A record of your website includes the host and the host’s location (IPv4 address), type (A), and TTL (time to live).
CNAME record
The CNAME record basically points to the actual canonical domain name for a domain or a subdomain. This DNS record type quite well fits for all of your subdomains. By creating a CNAME record for each of them, they link to your domain name. That way, you are not required to make any additional DNS records for your subdomains.
If you make a new change to the DNS records for your domain, they will automatically apply for every one of your subdomains. The administration of your DNS is so much easier that way.
PTR record
The PTR record is another fundamental DNS record. With it, you are making sure that sending emails to anyone will perform without any difficulties. The PTR record is additionally known as pointer record, and its primary objective is quite the opposite of the A record. It points an IP address to a domain name. It is also essential for Reverse DNS. After you send an email, the receiver could want to confirm that that email is sent on your behalf and not someone else. The PTR record is especially used for that purpose. Be careful when you are configuring the PTR record. Your emails could land in the spam folder of your recipients, and nobody wants that.
The pointer record could be used with IPv4 addresses and A records or with IPv6 addresses and AAAA records.
MX record
The MX record, or mail exchanger record, points to the mail server accountable for receiving the incoming emails for a domain name.
The MX record includes the domain’s name, the mail receiving server, type (MX), TTL, also the priority of the mails.
In addition, make sure to set it up correctly, or you could end up with an empty inbox and not receiving any messages.