Changes to DNS records
People often ask TENET to add or change DNS records for their AC.ZA domain. In most cases, TENET cannot help with that.
Most AC.ZA domains are self-hosted by the institution (through its internal IT team), but some institutions outsource this to a third-party DNS hosting provider (often an external ISP or web hosting company). TENET almost never hosts DNS for registrants, and this is not a service we provide.
Quick guide: who should you contact?
| If you need to do this | Contact |
|---|---|
Change a DNS record (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, etc.) | Your DNS hosting provider (or your IT team) |
| Create, remove, or rename a subdomain | Your DNS hosting provider (or your IT team) |
| Change which nameservers are official for your domain | TENET (delegation change ) |
| Update registrant or technical contact details shown in WHOIS | TENET |
How to read a domain name
DNS works from right to left. This can feel unusual, because people read normal text from left to right. In DNS, the lookup starts at the right-hand side and each dot is a boundary where responsibility can change.
Think of it like a street address getting more specific: country first, then city, then street, then building.
Using something.example.ac.za as an example, read right to left: za -> ac -> example -> something
What TENET controls, and what TENET does not control
TENET (as Registry Operator) maintains delegation information for AC.ZA domains.
That means TENET stores which official nameservers host example.ac.za, but
does not control example.ac.za itself.
TENET does not usually edit records inside your domain zone, such as:
- where your website points
- where your email is delivered
- TXT records for cloud service verification
The same rule applies whether your DNS is self-hosted or hosted by a third party.
Each level delegates to the next level.
Internal sub-delegation (inside your organisation)
Some organisations split DNS responsibility internally.
For example, dept.example.ac.za may be delegated to a faculty, department, or service team.
This is called sub-delegation. It is managed inside your organisation’s DNS operations (or by your chosen DNS host), not by TENET.
How to find your DNS provider
- Look up your domain in WHOIS .
- Find the listed nameservers (
NSrecords, meaning the DNS servers for your domain). - Check the technical contact details in WHOIS.
- Contact your IT team or the company that manages those nameservers.
TENET is not party to your commercial/support relationship with your hosting provider, and it is possible that e.g. your website maintainer has outsourced hosting to someone else. So, beyond WHOIS details, TENET may not be able to help identify your operational contact.
Contact TENET when
- you need to change your domain’s official nameservers (delegation change
- you need to update registrant/technical contact details in registry data
- you want to make DNSSEC changes
- there is a registry-level problem with your AC.ZA delegation