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DNSmigrator

Cloudflare DNS Rackspace Cloud DNS

Migrate DNS from Cloudflare to Rackspace.

7 record types move as they are. 6 things work differently at Rackspace, and the preview shows exactly which of your records they affect.

Free preview. Read-only. Nothing changes until you apply.

Cloudflare to Rackspace DNS migration differences

Generated from the same provider capability data the migration engine uses.

Moves as-is

  • A
  • AAAA
  • CNAME
  • MX
  • TXT
  • NS
  • SRV

Proxied records lose the CDN

Rackspace has no equivalent of Cloudflare's proxy. Proxied records move as plain records pointing at your origin, which exposes the origin IP. Put a CDN in front before cutting over if that matters.

Apex CNAMEs need a different shape

Rackspace doesn't allow a CNAME at the apex and has no alias record for external hostnames. These become static A/AAAA records, which don't follow the target if its IPs change.

TTLs below 300s are raised

Rackspace's minimum TTL is 300 seconds. Shorter TTLs are raised to 300s and shown as translated.

"Auto" TTLs get a real value

Cloudflare's automatic TTL has no equivalent, so those records get Rackspace's default of 3600s.

Domains registered at Cloudflare must transfer out

Cloudflare Registrar only allows Cloudflare's nameservers. If the domain is registered there, transfer it to another registrar before switching.

A typical Cloudflare zone at Rackspace

Example records for example.com. Open any flagged row to read why it changed.

Cloudflare Rackspace

  • UnsupportedCNAME@

    Not migrated

    @ is a CNAME at the zone apex. Rackspace doesn't allow that, and app.example-host.net isn't a target it can alias.

  • ExactMX@

    10 mx1.mail.example.net. +1

  • ExactTXT@

    "v=spf1 include:_spf.example.net -all"

  • UnsupportedCAA@

    Not migrated

    Rackspace doesn't support CAA records through its API.

  • ExactTXT_dmarc

    "v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:dmarc@example.com"

  • ExactSRV_sip._tls

    100 1 443 sip.example.net.

  • ExactAmail

    203.0.113.25

  • ReviewAshop

    203.0.113.10

    TTL was "auto". Set to 3600s.

  • ExactCNAMEwww

    example.com.

Set up the connections

Use the provider-specific credential guides before you preview, then keep the migration checklist beside the cutover plan.

How the move works

  1. 1

    Connect Cloudflare

    Connect Cloudflare with read-only access (Scoped API token).

  2. 2

    Connect Rackspace

    Connect Rackspace (Cloud account username and API key). Write access is only used when you apply.

  3. 3

    Review the preview

    Check every record marked Review or Unsupported. Each one explains what changes and why.

  4. 4

    Apply to Rackspace

    We snapshot the Rackspace zone, write in batches, and leave Cloudflare untouched.

  5. 5

    Verify

    We query Rackspace's own nameservers for every record and compare the answers before you switch.

  6. 6

    Switch nameservers

    Lower TTLs a day or two ahead, remove any DS record if DNSSEC is on, then point the domain at the new nameservers at your registrar.

Good to know about Cloudflare

  • Proxied (orange-cloud) records hide the origin IP. Moving them to another provider sends traffic straight to the origin.
  • Apex CNAMEs are flattened by Cloudflare. Other providers need an ALIAS record or static A/AAAA records instead.
  • Cloudflare Registrar only allows Cloudflare nameservers, so domains registered there must be transferred out first.

Access we need: Zone → DNS → Read for the preview, Zone → DNS → Edit to apply. Redirect and Worker route records also need Zone → Single Redirect → Edit and Zone → Workers Routes → Edit.

Good to know about Rackspace

  • Apex NS and SOA records are managed by Rackspace and can't be changed.
  • PTR records are only managed through Rackspace's reverse-DNS API for its own cloud devices, so they aren't migrated.
  • TTLs below 300 seconds are raised to 300.
  • Rackspace removes quote and backslash characters from TXT data.
  • Changes run as asynchronous Rackspace jobs; we wait for each job to finish, so large plans take longer.
  • New domains use the connection's SOA contact email, or hostmaster@<domain> when none is set.
  • Subdomains that Rackspace hosts as separate domains are listed as their own zones.

Access we need: Use a dedicated account user with the DNS Admin product role (dnsaas:admin). DNS Creator can't delete records, and DNS Observer is read-only, which is enough for a source connection.

Questions

Will there be downtime moving from Cloudflare to Rackspace?

Not if both providers serve the same answers during the switch. The records are copied to Rackspace and verified before you change nameservers, so resolvers get the same answer from either side while caches expire.

Do I have to delete anything at Cloudflare?

No. We never write to Cloudflare. Keep the old zone for a week after cutover so you can switch back instantly if anything looks wrong.

What about DNSSEC?

If DNSSEC is on, remove the DS record at your registrar and wait for it to expire before switching nameservers. Then enable DNSSEC at Rackspace and publish its new DS record. The cutover plan walks you through each step.

What happens to Cloudflare proxied records?

They move as ordinary records pointing at your origin server, because Rackspace can't proxy traffic. The preview lists every proxied record and the IP it would expose.

Related migrations

Ready to see your own zone?

Start a free preview