Prepare a DNS and HTTPS change plan

1. Record the unchanged starting point

Open the DNS worksheet. State that the course site is local. A later real change must begin with a copy of the existing public records, their values and the person allowed to edit them. Do not log into or edit a live zone for this exercise.

2. Separate web records from mail records

Read the record-type guide in the worksheet. A and AAAA usually point a name to an address; CNAME points it to another name. MX and mail-related TXT records can affect email. Record which groups must be reviewed separately. Do not copy example values into a real zone.

3. Write a change list with missing values shown

List the exact name, record type, old value, new value and reason that a future connection would require. Leave old and new values as not supplied when no provider has been chosen. This is a checklist, not a DNS zone file ready to apply.

4. Explain timing and the return path

Record the old values and a plan to restore them before a real change. TTL affects how long cached answers can remain. Reducing it is not an instant reset everywhere. Record who watches the change and what result would make them stop or return to the old settings.

5. Plan checks from outside the local machine

Write the checks for a future public connection: resolve the chosen names from outside the local network, load the intended site and check both preferred and alternate names. A working localhost page passes none of those public checks.

6. Plan HTTPS separately

The later site needs a valid certificate for each used public name. Plan to check the certificate, browser warnings, redirects and insecure page assets. HTTPS protects the connection; it does not prove a business is trustworthy. This local course makes no public certificate claim.

7. Protect email and document the stop point

Check the plan for accidental mail changes. Record that MX and relevant TXT records are outside this web exercise unless an owner has separately planned their change. Keep passwords, tokens and private provider details out of screenshots.

8. Save a rehearsal record

Review the full plan and print or save it. The correct outcome today is a ready set of questions and checks. It should clearly say that no public DNS or HTTPS cutover happened. Keep it with the local migration plan for the next lesson.

Practise

Explain which records affect the website and which may affect mail. Fill the worksheet without using real credentials or applying example values.

Check your result

The plan lists the required inputs, public checks and rollback questions. It accurately states that no live records were changed.

Optional notes