Sharing Experience In Handling Dns And Registration Issues During Alibaba Cloud Hong Kong To Cn2 Migration

alibaba cloud hong kong to cn2 migration practical essence

1. preparation is better than cure: prepare all dns and filing materials before migration to reduce downtime and rollback costs.

2. dns dual-track parallelism: use low ttl, cname grayscale, cdn or global accelerator for smooth switching.

3. registration first strategy: if the target is in mainland china, icp registration must be started in advance to avoid being intercepted by operators when going online.

i am an engineer who has been engaged in cloud architecture and network optimization for many years. i have personally participated in many migration projects between alibaba cloud overseas and mainland china. based on actual combat, this article summarizes the operational steps, pitfalls and emergency plans regarding dns and registration when adjusting alibaba cloud hong kong services to use the cn2 channel or migrating to mainland computer rooms to help you minimize risks.

part 1: why choose cn2 ? simply put, cn2 is a domestic priority backbone network with low packet loss and stable latency. it is suitable for websites or games that are sensitive to domestic user experience. if you are currently deployed in alibaba cloud hong kong but have poor domestic access, your performance will be significantly improved after using cn2 direct connection or migrating to a mainland computer room. however, it should be noted that only by moving the host to the mainland or using the operator's domestic export, you may be involved in the icp filing obligations that must be handled.

part 2: key understandings about filing . icp registration is only required for domain names whose hosts are located in mainland china. servers in hong kong computer rooms usually do not need to be registered in mainland china. if the migration target is a mainland idc or ecs, please prepare in advance: enterprise business license, domain name certificate, administrator id card, contact information of the website person in charge, and access isp information (provided by the computer room). the time required for approval of registration is variable, usually ranging from 2 weeks to 1 month, and may be longer under special circumstances.

part 3: dns strategy before migration (core operations). first, lower the ttl of all domain names to 60-300 seconds in advance to facilitate switch rollback. second, use cname grayscale: if supported, test the new ip's subdomain name first, verify that the application link is correct, and then switch to the main domain. third, use alibaba cloud 's weighted polling or weighted routing to implement traffic segment switching. fourth, if necessary, perform line compensation through cdn or global accelerator to reduce user disconnection caused by ip changes.

part 4: migration steps (recommended order). 1) back up existing data and configuration and record public ip and dns records; 2) reduce ttl to a low value; 3) deploy in the new environment and complete grayscale verification; 4) if the target is mainland china, submit icp filing materials as early as possible (do not take the old site offline); 5) change the resolution or weight after completing verification; 6) observe for 48-72 hours, and then increase ttl and close the old environment after confirming stability.

frequently asked questions and responses:

— dns resolution does not take effect: check whether there are old cached records in the dns resolution chain, use dig/nslookup and check the ttl; if you need to force a rollback, use retain the old ip and resume resolution.

— filing materials are returned: the most common reason is that the subject information is inconsistent or the contact id card and domain name information are not synchronized. prepare and check in advance according to the list provided by the computer room. if necessary, ask the computer room customer service to assist in submission.

— domestic access is still poor after migration: it may be that the route does not use the cn2 channel or the bgp policy is wrong. contact the alibaba cloud network team to check the bgp, egress asn, and link quality.

security and compliance reminder: sensitive personal or corporate information will be submitted during the filing process. it must be submitted through alibaba cloud or a regular computer room. do not easily outsource it to unknown third parties. keep the filing receipt number and communication records for subsequent review.

performance optimization tips: continuing to use cdn during migration can ensure that static resources are distributed nearby. combined with global accelerator, it can intelligently schedule between different exits, significantly reducing user perception fluctuations during the migration period.

the rollback strategy must be clear: any migration must have a rollback window and automated scripts. the main actions during rollback are to return the domain name resolution to the old ip, restore the old load balancing configuration, and quickly increase the ttl to stabilize the resolution.

conclusion: migrating alibaba cloud hong kong cn2 filing about the author: i have many years of practical experience in the field of cloud computing and network optimization. i focus on cross-border migration, dns governance and filing compliance in the alibaba cloud environment. i have helped many companies smoothly complete online and switchovers. welcome to send private messages to inquire about specific migration plans.