Best Strategy For Multiple Domain Names

[tdhg566]

Apologies if this is a bit wordy, but I'm trying to think through something. Maybe you can help. This is NOT a time critical problem. Please answer at your convenience.

 

One of my domain names, defenbaugh.net, is tied to my silver plan with TCH. Another of my domain names, defenbaugh.com, is hosted elsewhere. Both are registered at Network Solutions. I'm exploring the option of moving the .com domain name to TCH. My goals are (in no particular order) reduced cost, vendor rationalization (fewer), and improved support. The one untouchable requirement is that the .com domain name can NOT be out of service for any length of time, no matter how short. Too many people rely on it as their one and only email address. Other than that, I'm open to any suggestions.

 

 

My .com domain name acts as a forwarding hub for my extended family. The current host provides both email and URL forwarding (both unlimited), and I manage the email names through a web interface (less sophisticated but similar in function to cpanel). I receive no other services from the current host of defenbaugh.com. In the interest of full disclosure, I'll mention that I currently pay the other hosting firm $10/month for these services for the defenbaugh.com domain name. These prices were agreed to 10 years ago when there was less competition and they were the only provider of such forwarding services. Obviously today it's a different market.

 

Question #1: As I understand it from searching this forum, a "parked" domain name, e.g. defenbaugh.com, can be laid down on "top" of defenbaugh.net. To me, this says that TCH could add the necessary defenbaugh.com DNS records to their DNS BEFORE I contact Network Solutions to change the DNS entries associated with the domain name. Then I could also set up the forwarding entries for defenbaugh.com, and when I ultimately DO change the DNS entries at Network Solutions, since both hosts (current and TCH) have email forwarding enabled for defenbaugh.com, the transition will be seamless. Would that be a correct assessment? The operative word here is seamless, with all DNS entries set up beforehand.

 

Question #2: I do not intend to establish any POP accounts at TCH. Extended family members have their POP accounts elsewhere (separate conversation on why it's that way). So I'm not concerned about the disk space quota, but I do need to understand how email flowing through/forwarded through defenbaugh.com, hosted by TCH, would be counted (or not) against my monthly bandwidth quota. As you can appreciate, I have little/no control over how much email my extended family members get, and I can't afford to have anyone "run out" part way through the month. If my bandwidth runs out and someone can't look at my photo gallery, no big deal. But email forwarding must continue.

 

Question #3: If by chance there is no connection between email forwarding and account quotas, maybe the best solution is to get a separate account for defenbaugh.com and keep it separate from defenbaugh.net, not unlike it is at the moment (with unlimited forwarding from the other firm). That way, in case someone takes a liking to one of my Alaska pictures and hoses my defenbaugh.net bandwidth quota one month, it won't affect defenbaugh.com. It's not critical that I have ONE account. Managing two isn't a big deal.

 

Question #4: Would a reseller account bring any value to me in this situation? Please note that I have no intention of actually acting in a reseller capacity to my extended family members, OTHER than I manage the email forwarding table. But perhaps there's a benefit I've overlooked.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

George Defenbaugh

[TCH-Rob]

The one untouchable requirement is that the .com domain name can NOT be out of service for any length of time, no matter how short.

It is impossible to make a promise that anything you do during a transition will prevent some kind of downtime. Are there some steps you can take to reduce the possibility? Yes but there is no 100% that nothing will happen.

 

Would that be a correct assessment? The operative word here is seamless, with all DNS entries set up beforehand.

 

As close to it as one can get.

 

Second question - Anything moving through your account counts as bandwidth. Even e-mail.

 

Third - That may be a benifit

 

Fourth - Only so much as it is a bit easier to manage.

[tdhg566]

Thanks very much for your quick reply.

[TCH-Rob]

Sure, let me know if I can be of further assistance.

[tdhg566]

One more thing. If I decide to try the parked domain option, to whom and how do I make that request?

[TCH-Don]

To park a domain name on top of your current domain

open a help ticket (link at top of page)

 

and tell them

the current domain

and the name of the domain to park.

[tdhg566]

Thanks very, very much. You folks have been very helpful.