[cobalt-users] RAQ4: DNS questions

["Richard Abrams" <richard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi folks,

Just received the reference to
http://pkg.nl.cobalt.com/howto/cobalt_dns_howto.html and had a read... it's
generated a question (only one!!)... oh and a request for general comments
about DNS setup if you like. I have checked archives and people seem to have
*MANY* different opinions!

My current DNS config (in a nutshell) is as follows:

   1 'A' record pointing domain.com at IP address allocated for site
   1 'PTR' record pointing IP address back at domain.com

   3 'CNAME' records pointing MAIL, FTP and WWW at 'A' record above

   1 'MX' record pointing domain.com at domain.com (the 'A' record above).

I then go into my Virtual Site setting and place "domain.com" into the Email
Server Aliases field. Without this entry it appears that users can receive
email sent to USERNAME@xxxxxxxxxx but not to ALIAS_FOR_USER@xxxxxxxxxxx I
don't add anything into Control Panel - Email Parameters - Host/Domain
Aliases, as this seems to be overridden by the Virtual Site settings (i.e.
if I add a name in here which is already in the Virtual Site Email Alises
field, it just disappears again).

It says in the article that we shouldn't be using CNAME records. OK, I can
easily change our 3 CNAME records to 'A' records pointing at the same IP
address. If I also set up the MX record as they suggest, pointing at the
Virtual Site name (e.g. WWW.DOMAIN.COM) I will obviously need that to be an
A record and not a CNAME.

My question is with regards to the statement that our MX records should
point to the Virtual Site name (e.g. WWW.DOMAIN.COM)? Why is it necessary to
do this instead of just pointing them at DOMAIN.COM?? How will this affect
how mail is configured? I seem to have mail working currently, but have to
confess that everytime I create a site it's a struggle to get incoming mail
/ aliases / catch-all address working. Always seems more luck than judgement
:-)

Thanks in advance,

    -Richard

--
>> Richard Abrams
   (Lead Web Designer)

>> Artejano Design & Marketing
   The Old Bakehouse
   21 The Street
   Lydiard Millicent
   SN5 3LU

>> ICQ: 105995147
>> Tel: +44 (1793) 772243
>> Fax: +44 (1793) 772207