Setting up a subdomain via CNAME - can't setup subdomains on record that has a CNAME record | Community
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user01245
Level 2
April 11, 2025
Solved

Setting up a subdomain via CNAME - can't setup subdomains on record that has a CNAME record

  • April 11, 2025
  • 1 reply
  • 1260 views

We're trying to set up a subdomain to use with Campaign. We can't delegate the whole domain via nameserver, so we have to go the CNAME route. Adobe's instructions ask us to set up a CNAME record pointing testdomain.companyname.com to Adobe while ALSO setting up subdomains below that record pointing to Adobe via CNAME. According to our IT department, this is impossible in their DNS system. You can't have subdomains of a record that is itself a CNAME record. Only a zone record can have subdomains. 

Has anyone ever setup Campaign this way successfully?  If so, how did you get around this restriction? 

In the example below the CNAME record for 'testdomain.companyname.com.' is what we can't setup, due to it needing to be a zone record to setup the m1, t1, res1 and domainkey records below it.  

Name Type Value
t1.testdomain.companyname.com.CNAMEt1.testdomain.companyname.com.cname.campaign.adobe.com.
m1.testdomain.companyname.com.CNAMEm1.testdomain.companyname.com.cname.campaign.adobe.com.
res1.testdomain.companyname.com.CNAMEres1.testdomain.companyname.com.cname.campaign.adobe.com.
testdomain.companyname.com.CNAMEtestdomain.companyname.com.cname.campaign.adobe.com.
companynamedhs._domainkey.testdomain.companyname.com.CNAMEcompanynamedhs._domainkey.testdomain.companyname.com.cname.campaign.adobe.com.
Best answer by SatheeskannaK

That's interesting. I would suggest setting up a call with Adobe support and your IT department to decide on the next steps.

1 reply

SatheeskannaK
Community Advisor
SatheeskannaKCommunity Advisor
Community Advisor
April 14, 2025

@user01245 I will look at it this way.

  • A zone record (file) is the container holding all the DNS information for a domain.
     
  • A CNAME record is one specific instruction within that zone file, used to create aliases between domain names.

Usually, you can find CNAME records inside zone files, working alongside other record types to ensure the internet knows where to send traffic for your domain. So what adobe saying is correct.

Thanks, Sathees
U
user01245Author
Level 2
April 14, 2025

Yes, but Adobe is asking us to add a CNAME record for something that is a zone.

In my example, testdomain.companyname.com is a zone.  Adobe needs us to add a CNAME record for that, which is impossible if it's setup as a zone.  

I found this article that explains it better:
https://www.isc.org/blogs/cname-at-the-apex-of-a-zone/

"ISC BIND 9 will therefore not allow you to add a CNAME at the zone apex because this will create a broken zone and cause DNS resolution failures. The interpretation of the CNAME record (per the DNS protocol) makes it nonsensical to have a CNAME coexisting with any other records for that same name."

SatheeskannaK
Community Advisor
SatheeskannaKCommunity AdvisorAccepted solution
Community Advisor
April 15, 2025

That's interesting. I would suggest setting up a call with Adobe support and your IT department to decide on the next steps.

Thanks, Sathees
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