deSEC UniFi Network
Migrate DNS from deSEC to UniFi.
6 record types move as they are. 1 things work differently at UniFi, and the preview shows exactly which of your records they affect.
Free preview. Read-only. Nothing changes until you apply.
What works differently
Generated from the same provider capability data the migration engine uses.
Moves as-is
- A
- AAAA
- CNAME
- MX
- TXT
- SRV
NS, CAA, PTR, DS, HTTPS, SVCB, TLSA, SSHFP, NAPTR, LOC, CERT, URI, DHCID, DNAME, OPENPGPKEY, RP, SMIMEA aren't available
A typical deSEC zone at UniFi
Example records for example.com. Open any flagged row to read why it changed.
deSEC UniFi
- ExactA@
192.0.2.70
- ExactAAAA@
2001:db8::70
- ExactMX@
10 mx1.mail.example.net. +1
- ExactTXT@
"v=spf1 include:_spf.example.net -all"
- UnsupportedCAA@
Not migrated
UniFi 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.
- ExactCNAMEwww
example.com.
| Status | Type | Name | At UniFi | TTL | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exact | A | @ |
| 5m | |
| Exact | AAAA | @ |
| 5m | |
| Exact | MX | @ |
| 1h | |
| Exact | TXT | @ |
| 1h | |
| Unsupported | CAA | @ | Not migrated | — | |
| Exact | TXT | _dmarc |
| 1h | |
| Exact | SRV | _sip._tls |
| 1h | |
| Exact | CNAME | www |
| 1h |
How the move works
- 1
Connect deSEC
Connect deSEC with read-only access (API token).
- 2
Connect UniFi
Connect UniFi (API key (X-API-Key) + controller URL or UniFi console ID (via api.ui.com)). Write access is only used when you apply.
- 3
Review the preview
Check every record marked Review or Unsupported. Each one explains what changes and why.
- 4
Apply to UniFi
We snapshot the UniFi zone, write in batches, and leave deSEC untouched.
- 5
Verify
We query UniFi's own nameservers for every record and compare the answers before you switch.
- 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 deSEC
- The minimum TTL is 3600 seconds for most domains (deSEC sets it per domain) and the maximum is 86400.
- ALIAS/ANAME records and apex CNAMEs aren't supported; use A/AAAA or HTTPS records at the apex.
- Every zone is DNSSEC-signed automatically. Give the DS records to your registrar to complete the chain.
Access we need: Any token can read all RRsets. Applying needs write permission on the RRsets (token policies can restrict it); creating zones needs perm_create_domain.
Good to know about UniFi
- Consoles usually sit on a private network; we refuse private addresses by design, so either use the console ID (reached through api.ui.com) or expose the console publicly over HTTPS.
- A publicly trusted TLS certificate is required when connecting directly: we never skip certificate verification, so the console's default self-signed certificate will not work.
- Records are one flat list per site (no zones); only A, AAAA and CNAME have a configurable TTL, and TXT values are limited to 255 characters without double quotes.
Access we need: A UniFi API key acts with the role of the admin who created it; create it from an admin limited to network settings where possible. It can read and write static DNS entries.
Questions
Will there be downtime moving from deSEC to UniFi?
Not if both providers serve the same answers during the switch. The records are copied to UniFi 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 deSEC?
No. We never write to deSEC. 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 UniFi and publish its new DS record. The cutover plan walks you through each step.
Ready to see your own zone?
Start a free preview