CNAME Setup for CDN in NetSuite Commerce Hosting

The CNAME (Canonical Name) record is crucial for creating an alias to your primary domain, functioning similarly to a redirect. Proper configuration allows the Content Delivery Network (CDN) to correctly identify and serve your website content.

How to Update Your CNAME Records

To effectively update your CNAME records in NetSuite, follow these detailed steps:

1. In NetSuite, navigate to Commerce > Hosting > Domains.
2. Click View next to your domain name.
3. In the Domain section, locate the CNAME (Alias) field and note its contents. This alias is essential for the subsequent steps.
   • Example: www.yourbusiness.com.hosting.netsuite.com
4. Access your DNS provider’s control panel and find the DNS settings relevant to your domain.
5. Remove any A records associated with your domain and create a new CNAME record using the alias obtained in Step 3.
   Important: Ensure that you include the 'www.' prefix if it was part of the alias provided by NetSuite, as domains with and without this prefix are treated differently. Additionally, keep your MX records (email settings) unchanged to maintain email functionality.
6. Return to NetSuite, access Commerce > Hosting > Domains, and click View next to your domain again.
7. In the Advanced section, ensure that you check the Use CDN Cache box.
8. Click Save to apply your changes.

Note: DNS changes may take from a few hours to a full day to propagate. If after a day your CDN isn't functioning correctly, consider checking for common DNS problems.

Common CNAME Issues and Troubleshooting

When working with CNAME records and CDN configuration, some issues might arise:

• CNAME Configured Correctly But CDN Not Enabled: If your CNAME appears to route correctly but the CDN is not working, you may have forgotten to check the Use CDN Cache option.
• CNAME Configured Incorrectly: If your CNAME does not reflect the expected settings, double-check your configuration in the DNS settings.

Utilize DNS diagnostic tools to further manage and troubleshoot CNAME records effectively. The dig utility is beneficial for confirming your domain's DNS settings.

Here's how the expected output of a successful dig command should look:

$ dig www.scaexample.com
;; ANSWER SECTION:
www.scaexample.com. 14398 IN CNAME www.scaexample.com.hosting.netsuite.com.
www.scaexample.com.hosting.netsuite.com. 298 IN CNAME website-cdn.na1.netsuite.com.

Key Takeaways

• Correctly setting up your CNAME record is essential for CDN functionality in NetSuite Commerce.
• Always check your DNS provider settings to ensure accuracy in CNAME configurations.
• Activating the CDN cache in NetSuite is necessary after CNAME updates.