Guide · Building & launching
Domain, DNS and business email: a setup guide
The domain is your company's address on the internet, and DNS is the system that tells the world where to find your website, where to deliver your email and which services are allowed to act on your behalf. Most businesses touch DNS only when something breaks — typically email stopping after a website moves. Understanding the basics prevents that.
[ 01 ]
In short
In short
- 01
The registrar holds your domain; DNS records say where each service lives; hosting and email can be at different providers.
- 02
A and CNAME records point to the website; MX records point to the email service; TXT records verify ownership and protect email.
- 03
When moving the website, change only the website records; copy all other records exactly.
- 04
Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC to protect your domain from spoofing and improve email delivery.
- 05
Keep the domain registered to your company, with access controlled by you.
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Guide
Three separate things
- Registrar: the company where the domain is registered and renewed.
- DNS hosting: the service that publishes your DNS records — often the registrar, sometimes a separate provider such as a CDN.
- Service providers: website hosting, email hosting, and others (CRM, email marketing) that need DNS records.
Each can be at a different company. Knowing where each one is and who has access is the first step.
Common DNS records
| Record | What it does | Example use |
|---|---|---|
| A / AAAA | Points a name to an IP address | example.az → website server |
| CNAME | Points a name to another name | www.example.az → hosting provider's name |
| MX | Says which servers receive email | Email hosting provider |
| TXT | Free text, used for verification and email security | SPF, DMARC, Search Console verification |
| CAA | Says which authorities may issue SSL certificates | Security hardening |
See DNS.
Business email
Email on your own domain (name@yourcompany.az) looks professional and keeps communication under company control, unlike free mailboxes tied to individuals. Email can be hosted by a dedicated provider or with your website hosting; dedicated providers are usually more reliable and separate email from website changes.
Email authentication
Three records protect your domain and help your messages reach inboxes:
- SPF — lists servers allowed to send email for your domain.
- DKIM — adds a cryptographic signature to your messages.
- DMARC — tells receivers what to do with messages that fail checks and sends you reports.
Include every service that sends email on your behalf: your mailbox provider, the website's form notifications, CRM and email marketing tools. See email domain security.
Changing website hosting without breaking email
- Export or copy the full list of current DNS records.
- Lower the TTL (record lifetime) a day or two in advance, so changes spread quickly.
- Change only the A/CNAME records for the website.
- Keep MX, TXT and other records exactly as they were.
- Check email delivery immediately after the change.
If you move DNS hosting to another provider, recreate every record there before switching the nameservers.
TTL and propagation
DNS records are cached for the time set by their TTL. After a change, some visitors see the old destination until their cached copy expires. Lowering TTL before planned changes shortens this period.
Keeping control
- Registrant: your company.
- Registrar and DNS accounts under company email, with two-factor authentication.
- Renewal set to automatic, with reminders.
- A record of which service each DNS entry belongs to.
See .az domain registration and what to get at website handover.
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Why did our email stop working after the website moved?
Usually because DNS was moved without copying the MX and related records, or because email was hosted on the old website server. Restore the records and plan email hosting separately.
Should we use www or not?
Either works. Choose one as the main version and redirect the other to it permanently.
How long do DNS changes take?
From minutes to up to a day or two, depending on TTL and caching. Lowering TTL beforehand makes changes faster.