Backup Website - DNS Server Issue

Problem concerning how exactly dns servers work on domain?

[nkakar]

Hi, Im currently trying to run a backup website of my current site on another hosting company just incase if my current hosting company goes down. I need the dns server on my domain to be automatically redirected to my website on the other hosting company if my site on the primary server goes down. People at networksolutions have several opinions on this and what Ive seen is that if I have the dns severs from the 2nd hosting company added on to my current domain registered with networksolutions, i end up sharing traffic between my 2 servers, which causes problems for my audience and myself in terms of order numbers and updates to the site. Can anyone suggest me how I should go upon adding the 2nd hosting company on the same domain and get it pointed to it ONLY if my primary server goes down. I NEED to know how Dns Servers work because from what Ive heard and experienced, its two totally different things. Pointing the dns server after it goes down to my second hosting company takes 5-6 hrs across the internet to get changed. Im wondering how the IBMs and the MICROSOFTs take care of their servers. Please let me know whatever you can.

Thanks
Nick

[txbakers]

Hi and welcome to the Webmaster World boards.

First, there is no getting around the lag time for DNS propagation. You can reduce the lag time if you have access to the DNS server by reducing the TTL (time to lag) amount, but few DNS hosts allow the general public access to their servers.

As for the big boys, they have many redundant clustered servers running, so if one fails, another is there automatically to take its place. They don't have to worry about hosts going down. Instead they worry about hardware failures and have the redundancies in place.

[nkakar]

Thanks txbakers for your prompt response. My current ISP and hosting company is that of my brothers so I have full control of the site and the server. However I need to know how is it possible to have a co-location or redundancy of my website on two hosts, incase if one fails to respond. DNS' seem to be instant when you remove them from rhe domain and 5-6hr delay when you add new ones, but isnt there a way to transfer the site over automatically to the tertiary (secondary hosting company)servers?

thanks again

[Chicken Juggler]

We use ULTRADNS. They have a system that will fail over to a backup website in 3 minutes or less. Give them a try they are quite nice. One domain is not that expensive but it goes up quick. IT's about $50 Domain. When they say domain they mean www.domain.com it is $50 more for domain.com or subdomain.domain.com.

[nkakar]

Hey Juggler, thanks for the response. I have personally heard about them too and had contacted them, but they were quoting me a price for $185/month to have that feature without hosting. I dont know if I can afford that much money for a backup. Are you sure its $50 and if so, what is it called?

Nick

[Chicken Juggler]

Ask for basic DNS service and sitebacker it shouldn't not be that much.

[nkakar]

hey juggler, thanks for the response again. I checked with them and they told me the same quote, actually this quote that they gave is reduced from their usual 225. I hope Im not just another victim of price segregation. :( Do you currently use them or know how much they charge under your own opinion?

thanks again