DNS TTL and cutover planning during a website migration

Short answer: Lower DNS TTL before you migrate so changes propagate faster; raise it again after stability to reduce query load.

DNS is the phone book for your domain. During migrations, NZ businesses often forget TTL, MX records, or old SPF entries—and wonder why “half the world” still sees the old site.

Practical TTL sequence

• Days ahead: drop TTL to 300–600 seconds if your DNS provider allows.
• Cutover window: update A/AAAA/CNAME records; verify with dig or online checkers from multiple regions.
• After stable: restore a sensible TTL (often 1–24 hours).

Do not orphan email

MX records must point to the correct mail service throughout the change. Document every record you touch.

Propagation vs caching

Users, ISPs, and routers cache DNS. Expect stragglers—communicate downtime windows if needed.

Frequently asked questions