CNAME Records are domain name aliases. Often computers on the Internet have multiple functions such as Web Server, FTP Server, Chat Server, etc. To mask this, CNAME Records can be used, to give a single computer multiple names (aliases).
Sometimes companies register multiple domain names for their brand-names but still wish to maintain a single website. In such cases, a CNAME Record maybe used to forward traffic to their actual website. For example, www.abc.in could be CNAMEd to www.abc.com.
The most popular use of the CNAME Record type, is to provide access to a Web Server using both the standard www.yourdomainname.com and yourdomainname.com (without the www). This is usually done by adding a CNAME Record for the www name pointing to the short name [while creating an A Record for the short name (without www)].
CNAME Records can also be used when a computer or service needs to be renamed, to temporarily allow access through both the old and new name.
There you would find 3 fields:
- Host Name: If you wish to Add a CNAME Record for yourdomainname.com like manage.yourdomainname.com or www.yourdomainname.com, then enter the Host Name as manage or www in this text box.
- Value: This is the Destination for the CNAME created. Thus, if you wish to create a CNAME Record for www.yourdomainname.com pointing to yourdomainname.com, then you would have to enter yourdomainname.com. in this text box.
- TTL: This is the Time To Live for this Record. Any Server which once queries this Record will query it again after this time interval. The ideal TTL is 86400, which is 1 day. It can not be set to less than 14400, i.e. 4 hours.