Agency domain handoff

Plan and verify domain cutovers when an agency manages DNS for a client.

This guide is for agency partners and operators coordinating domain changes for clients. For a business owner connecting one domain, share the Domain setup guide instead.

Keep The Client Guide Separate

The client guide explains the decision in plain language and gives the exact public target. This agency guide covers the handoff, approval, evidence, and rollback process used across multiple client accounts.

Do not send internal router, worker, tenant-binding, or Cloudflare account instructions to the client. The public DNS target is:

edge.ionia.sh

Collect Before Scheduling The Change

Approved public hostname
Registrar
Authoritative DNS provider, confirmed from the nameservers
Current website host
Person with DNS access
Existing DNS export or screenshots
Primary form, booking, ordering, and phone paths
Email provider
Approved launch window and rollback contact

Do not assume the registrar, DNS provider, and website host are the same company.

Choose The Connection Pattern

Use this order of preference:

www CNAME to edge.ionia.sh, then root-to-www redirect.
Root ALIAS, ANAME, or flattened CNAME to edge.ionia.sh when the authoritative provider supports an arbitrary external target.
Keep www as the public address or plan a controlled authoritative DNS move.

Do not recommend Route 53 Alias as an arbitrary external root target. Use www or an AWS-specific forwarding design when Route 53 is authoritative.

Prepare The DNS Handoff

Send the DNS manager:

Exact hostname
Record type
Host or name
Target or value
TTL and proxy instruction
Any unique ownership or certificate TXT records
Requested launch time
A reminder not to alter mail records

For the standard www path:

Type	Name	Target	TTL
`CNAME`	`www`	`edge.ionia.sh`	Auto or default

Also request a permanent root redirect to https://www.example.com with path and query preservation.

Nameserver Migration Gate

Do not approve a nameserver change until the replacement zone contains all active records:

A and AAAA
CNAME
MX
TXT, including SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and verification records
CAA
SRV
Every active subdomain

Require an export or screenshots of the old zone. Confirm inbound and outbound email after the cutover. Changing nameservers does not require transferring the domain registration.

Launch And Verification

Confirm the hostname is attached to the correct Ionia workspace before DNS changes.
Capture the current DNS state.
Add the approved records.
Wait for public DNS resolution and certificate provisioning.
Test root and www in a private browser.
Test a deep link to verify redirect path preservation.
Test the primary conversion action on desktop and mobile.
Confirm business email still sends and receives.
Record the final URL, launch time, and verification evidence.

If the wrong site appears, stop changing DNS and verify the hostname-to-workspace binding. If the existing site becomes unavailable, restore the captured DNS values while the binding is investigated.