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NS-records identify DNS servers responsible (authoritative) for a zone.

A zone should contain one NS-record for each of its own DNS servers (primary and secondaries). This mostly is used for zone transfer purposes (notify). These NS-records have the same name as the zone in which they are located.

But the most important function of the NS-record is delegation. Delegation means that part of a domain is delegated to other DNS servers. For example all ".net" sub-names (such as "worldwidedns.net") are delegated from the "net" zone (hosted by the "InterNic"). The "net" zone contains NS-records for all ".net" sub-names.

You can also delegate sub-names of your own domain name (such as "subname.yourname.com") to other DNS servers. You are in effect the "InterNic" for all sub-names of your own domain name (if you have a really cool domain name, you might even be able to sell sub-names for profit).

To delegate "subname.yourname.com", create NS-records for "subname.yourname.com" in the "yourname.com" zone. These NS-records must point to the DNS server responsible for "subname.yourname.com" for example "ns1.subname.yourname.com" - or a DNS server somewhere else like "ns1.othername.net".

An NS-record identifies the name of a DNS server - not the IP-address. Because of this, it is important that an A-record for the referenced DNS server exists (not necessarily on your server, but wherever it belongs), otherwise there may not be any way to find that DNS server and communicate with it.

If an NS-record delegates a sub-name ("subname.yourname.com") to a DNS server with a name in that sub-name ("ns1.subname.yourname.com"), an A-record for that server (""ns1.subname.yourname.com") must exist in the parent zone ("yourname.com"). This A-record is referred to as a "glue" record, because it doesn't really belong in the parent zone, but is necessary to locate the DNS server for the delegated sub-name.

You can use the NS-record in the normal form or the raw form on our servers. The format in which to enter the data is as follows:

Standard form:
@ NS ns1.worldwidedns.net
@ NS ns2.worldwidedns.net
@ NS ns3.worldwidedns.net
@ NS ns4.worldwidedns.net

Raw form:
@ NS ns1.worldwidedns.net.
@ NS ns2.worldwidedns.net.
@ NS ns3.worldwidedns.net.
@ NS ns4.worldwidedns.net.

Where '@' is the root zone name and the NS records set the data in them to be authoritative name servers.

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