How to Install cPanel DNSOnly

  WHM

Introduction

cPanel DNSOnly is a lightweight version of cPanel designed specifically for DNS clustering and DNS management. Unlike a full cPanel & WHM installation, DNSOnly does not provide web hosting, email, database, or account management features. Instead, it allows administrators to create dedicated DNS servers that synchronize DNS zones with one or more cPanel servers.

Deploying cPanel DNSOnly on separate servers improves DNS redundancy, availability, and performance by distributing DNS records across multiple geographically diverse locations. This setup ensures continued DNS resolution even if the primary hosting server becomes unavailable.

This article explains how to install cPanel DNSOnly, access its management interface, and restart the DNSOnly service when required.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure the following requirements are met:

Server Requirements

  • A fresh installation of a supported operating system (AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, CloudLinux, or supported CentOS versions).
  • Minimum 1 GB RAM (2 GB or higher recommended).
  • At least 20 GB of available disk space.
  • A fully qualified domain name (FQDN) configured for the server.

Access Requirements

  • Root or sudo privileged access to the server.
  • SSH access to the server.
  • Administrative access to the network firewall.

Network Requirements

  • A static public IP address.
  • Internet connectivity to download installation packages.
  • Required ports opened in the firewall, including:
    • TCP 53 (DNS)
    • UDP 53 (DNS)
    • TCP 2087 (WHM/DNSOnly Interface)
    • TCP 2089 (Secure DNS Cluster Communication)

Recommended Preparations

  • Update the operating system before installation.
  • Set a valid hostname:hostnamectl set-hostname dns1.example.com
  • Disable unsupported package repositories that may interfere with installation.
  • Verify that no conflicting DNS services are already running on the server.

Conclusion

By installing cPanel DNSOnly, administrators can create dedicated DNS servers that participate in a DNS cluster and provide highly available DNS services for hosted domains. DNSOnly servers help improve redundancy, reduce dependency on a single hosting server, and ensure reliable DNS resolution across multiple locations.

After installation, it is recommended to configure DNS clustering, verify zone synchronization, test DNS resolution, and monitor the DNSOnly server regularly to ensure optimal performance and availability. Proper DNS cluster configuration and periodic validation of synchronized zones will help maintain a stable and resilient DNS infrastructure.

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