---
title: "Configuring secondary DNS on a VPS"
description: "If you are configuring your VPS as a DNS server, you can make use of the OVHcloud Secondary DNS service to host a secondary zone. This way, DNS for your domain"
url: https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/bare-metal-cloud/vps/configuring-secondary-dns
lang: en
---
> For AI agents: the complete documentation index is available at https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/llms.txt, the full documentation bundle is available at https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/llms-full.txt.

# Configuring secondary DNS on a VPS

If you are configuring your VPS as a DNS server, you can make use of the OVHcloud Secondary DNS service to host a secondary zone. This way, DNS for your domain will remain available even if the primary DNS server should become unresponsive.

 

## Requirements

- A domain name to which you have administrative access
- A [Virtual Private Server](https://us.ovhcloud.com/vps/) in your OVHcloud account

#### OVHcloud Control Panel Access

- **Direct link:** [VPS management](https://manager.us.ovhcloud.com/#/dedicated/vps)
- **Navigation path:** `Bare Metal Cloud` > `Virtual private servers` > Select your VPS

 

## Instructions

### Step 1: Retrieving the validation code

Switch to the `Secondary DNS` tab and click on the button `Add a domain`.

Enter the domain name you want to add, then click `Confirm`.

A message will be displayed in your Control Panel regarding the verification process.

It is necessary to confirm your authorization to manage the domain name before it can be added to OVHcloud Secondary DNS. This is achieved via an automated DNS lookup on the subdomain _ownercheck.yourdomainname_. An individual string of characters is generated for this purpose and displayed inside the red notification box. Copy this validation code for use in the next step.

 

### Step 2: Verifying authorization for the domain name

If an external registrar manages the domain name **or** it uses external DNS servers at this point, log in to the control panel of your DNS provider and add a DNS zone record of the type TXT with the subdomain "ownercheck" and the value provided by executing [Step 1](#step-1-retrieving-the-validation-code).

 

### Step 3: Adding the domain name

As soon as the TXT record is present in the domain name's DNS zone, repeat the [steps described in the first part of this guide](#step-1-retrieving-the-validation-code) to add the domain name to the OVHcloud Secondary DNS server.

Clicking on `Confirm` will trigger the automatic owner verification by querying the TXT record. A message in your Control Panel will confirm that the DNS check was successful. You can now delete the TXT record.

Added domain names will be listed in this tab with the corresponding **name of the secondary DNS server**. (Refresh the page in your browser after adding a domain name.)

Domain names can be removed by clicking on the _more options_ `...` button in the table.

**Note:**

Other actions required to configure your own DNS for your domain name(s) usually include:

- Configuring a DNS service (such as _BIND_)
- Configuring GLUE records
- Authorizing zone transfers

Please refer to the corresponding manuals and external knowledge resources if you need further instructions for these administrative tasks.

 

## Go further

Browse all the [Virtual Private Servers guides](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/bare-metal-cloud/vps/landing-page-vps.md).

Browse the rest of the [OVHcloud US documentation](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/index.md) for guides on our other products and services.

Learn more about [VPS](https://us.ovhcloud.com/vps/) on the OVHcloud US website.