Is it possible to have a DNS NS record point to a domain from outside the queried nameserver's domain?

The Domain Name System (DNS) is a crucial component of the internet that translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses. It allows users to access websites and other online services by using domain names instead of remembering complex IP addresses.

One important aspect of DNS is the NS (Name Server) record, which specifies the authoritative name servers for a domain. These name servers are responsible for providing the IP address associated with a domain name.

Now, the question arises: is it possible to have an NS record point to a domain that is outside the queried nameserver's domain? In simple terms, can we have a domain's name server located in a different domain altogether?

The answer is yes, it is possible to have an NS record point to a domain from outside the queried nameserver's domain. This practice is known as delegation, where the authority for a subdomain is delegated to a different set of name servers.

Let's understand this concept with an example. Suppose you own the domain example.com, and you want to delegate the authority for a subdomain called subdomain.example.com to a different set of name servers. In this case, you would need to create an NS record for the subdomain and specify the name servers that will handle the DNS resolution for that subdomain.

Here's how you can create an NS record for the subdomain:

In the above example, we are delegating the authority for the subdomain subdomain.example.com to the name servers ns1.externaldomain.com and ns2.externaldomain.com. These name servers will be responsible for resolving DNS queries related to the subdomain.

When a user tries to access a resource under the subdomain subdomain.example.com, their DNS resolver will first query the authoritative name servers for example.com. These authoritative name servers will then respond with the NS records for the subdomain, indicating the external name servers responsible for handling DNS queries for the subdomain.

It's important to note that the external name servers specified in the NS record should be properly configured to handle DNS resolution for the delegated subdomain. This includes setting up the necessary A (Address) or CNAME (Canonical Name) records to map the subdomain to the appropriate IP address.

Delegation of subdomains is commonly used in scenarios where different organizations or entities are responsible for managing different parts of a domain. For example, a company might delegate the authority for its subdomains to external DNS providers or cloud services.

However, it's worth mentioning that the delegation of subdomains can introduce additional complexity and potential points of failure in the DNS resolution process. If the external name servers are not properly configured or experience downtime, it can result in DNS resolution failures for the delegated subdomain.

In conclusion, it is indeed possible to have an NS record point to a domain from outside the queried nameserver's domain. This practice, known as delegation, allows the authority for a subdomain to be delegated to a different set of name servers. Delegation is commonly used in scenarios where different organizations or entities are responsible for managing different parts of a domain. However, it's important to ensure that the external name servers are properly configured to handle DNS resolution for the delegated subdomain.

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