Use a CNAME Record to Prove Domain Ownership

A CNAME or canonical name record is the DNS equivalent to a Microsoft Windows shortcut or an Apple Mac alias. A CNAME record is an alias for the Address (A) record that maps an IP address to the target server.

The target server doesn't have to exist in the same domain as the CNAME record itself. You can define an alias in one domain to point to a target server in a completely different domain. Many organizations use CNAME records with Web servers. An organization might point the alias www to a Web server that is hosted by a dedicated Web hosting company. For example, requests for www.contoso.com can be redirected to webserver1.fabrikam.com.

If you are migrating mailboxes from another e-mail solution, or if you want to create and provision users before you direct the incoming mail for your domain to the cloud-based service, you have to use a CNAME record to prove domain ownership.

The CNAME record must contain the following information:

• Alias   <MX token>
  
• Target   domains.live.com
  

The Live@edu Service Management Portal provides the information you need to create each type of DNS record. The values for several types of records include a unique 30-character token for each domain. When you create the DNS records, to avoid typos, copy and paste the information from the Service Management Portal to the data entry form for your DNS hosting service.

Typically, DNS records that you create for new domains are detected quickly. Updates to DNS records for existing domains may take longer to be detected. However, it should take no longer than 72 hours before a change is detected.

When the CNAME record is detected by Windows Live Admin Center, in the Administrator Status section, the status will be "You are confirmed as an administrator of this domain". However, in the Mail section, the status will remain "Pending DNS configuration".

With this combined status, your domain won't receive e-mail, but you can create user accounts and send test messages from your cloud-based mailboxes. In order for the domain to receive e-mail, you have to configure the required MX record that points all mail service for your domain to the cloud. For more information, see Use an MX Record to Direct Mail to Your Domain.

• Create DNS Records at 1&1
  
• Create DNS Records at CentralNic
  
• Create DNS Records at eNom Central
  
• Create DNS Records at GoDaddy.com
  
• Create DNS Records at Network Solutions
  
• Create DNS Records at Register.com
  
• Create DNS Records at Yahoo!
  
• Prove Domain Ownership with BIND-Based DNS
  
• Prove Domain Ownership with Windows-Based DNS
  

Not finding your domain registrar? See Create DNS Records.

Want more information and instructions about how to find your domain registrar or DNS hosting service? See Domain Name Registration and DNS Hosting Services.

You also use a CNAME record to let Outlook 2007 clients connect by using the Autodiscover service. That's covered in Use a CNAME Record to Enable Outlook to Connect.