# SOA record

#### WHAT IS THE SOA RECORD?

The SOA (Service of Authority) record defines the domain parameters. Each domain name must have a SOA record from now on that the domain name has been registered.

<p class="callout info">For example, if the domain of dotroll.com is delegated to DotRoll naming servers, we need to provide a SOA record for the dotroll.com domain name in authorativ DNS records. This record is automatically added to the domain names registered at DotRoll.</p>

#### QUERYING SOA RECORD

For example, you can use the nslookup command in Windows to access record SOA, while under Linux the host command.

Example of a Windows-based nslookup query:

```
nslookup -q=SOA dotroll.com
Server:  google-public-dns-a.google.com
Address:  8.8.8.8

Non-authoritative answer:
dotroll.com
        primary name server = ns1.dotroll.com
        responsible mail addr = hostmaster.dotroll.com
        serial  = 2018071701
        refresh = 86400 (1 day)
        retry   = 7200 (2 hours)
        expire  = 604800 (7 days)
        default TTL = 600 (10 mins)
```

Example of Linux based host query:

```
host -t SOA dotroll.com
dotroll.com has SOA record ns1.dotroll.com. hostmaster.dotroll.com. 2018071701 86400 7200 604800 600
```

#### SOA RECORD FORMAT

<table id="bkmrk-fields-name-descript"><tbody><tr><td>**Fields name**</td><td>**Description**</td></tr><tr><td>ns1.dotroll.com</td><td>Primary name server.</td></tr><tr><td>hostmaster.dotroll.com</td><td>Admin contact e-mail address. Replace the first dot with an @.</td></tr><tr><td>2018071701</td><td>Serial number. Increment this, if the domain has been modified.</td></tr><tr><td>86400</td><td>Refresh time. The secondary NS tries to download the zone every this many seconds.</td></tr><tr><td>7200</td><td>Retry time. The secondary NS retries to download the zone after this many seconds in case of failure.</td></tr><tr><td>604800</td><td>Expiry. The secondary NS forgets the zone after this time.</td></tr><tr><td>600</td><td>Minimum TTL. Negative cache time. The <acronym title="The DNS resolver is the server that searches for the DNS name IP address in the DNS system. This is usually done by our Internet service provider.">DNS resolver</acronym> uses this time to cache negative responses.</td></tr></tbody></table>

#### EDITING SOA RECORD

1. Sign in with [https://admin.dotroll.com](https://admin.dotroll.com/?swcfpc=1) with your username and password
2. In the top menu bar, click the **Domains** / **My Domains** menu.
3. Select the domain name for which you want to make the change and then click on it.
4. In the **Manage** box on the left, select **Manage DNS**.
5. In the block at the top of the page, you can modify certain items in the SOA record. 
    - You can adjust the record TTL value, Refresh time, Retry, Maturity, and Minimum TTL.
6. Once you’ve made the settings, click the **Save Changes** buttonat the bottom of the page.