The procedure to change the authoritative DNS servers (ie those managed by the host of the domain name) or the foundations of the DNS operation concern the concept of DNS Authoritative or NameServer of a .it domain, it is very simple, but sometimes you can falling into a catch: the status of PendingUpdate .
Let's see step by step the procedure to update the authoritative DNS (or nameserver) of a .it domain:
- Enter the new ns you want to submit to the Italian Register;
- The registrar / reseller / hosting manager submits the update change to the Italian Registry in real time;
- The Italian Registry performs compliance tests on new DNS servers (always use this tool https://dns-check.nic.it/ );
- If the DNS servers pass the validation process (of the tool we have listed in the above paragraph), then the NIC updates the change making it executive (the output can also be used in XML format);
- If the DNS servers do not pass the validation process , the NIC sets the domain in PendingUpdate status for a maximum of five days; during these five days validation tests are repeated on the nameservers at defined intervals, in order to allow the user to correct the configuration (the errors are always visible in the page of the instrument that we have listed in the paragraph above). If a domain is in the PENDINGUPDATE status, the previous DNS servers remain authoritative and the modification is not successful;
- At the end of the five days, if the tests on the new DNS servers are always negative, the Italian Registry rejects the change; the authoritative DNS servers remain those prior to the request ;
- At the end of the fifth day, (the register automatically carries out checks twelve times a day, every two hours starting at 01:00 AM and ending at 11:00 PM CEST) if the validation requests of the new nameservers will be negative (therefore after 60 checks) the register will return the domain to status OK with the previous nameservers.
What to do to update the AUTHORITATIVE DNS and avoid the PENDINGUPDATE status?
Before making an update / change / modification of the authoritative DNS servers (nameservers) , pay the utmost attention so that they respect the necessary criteria / requirements, to allow the Italian Registry to update the status OK.
As suggested use this free online tool: https://dns-check.nic.it/
And if, after a few hours , the domain, for which a DNS update was requested, is still in STATUS PendingUpdate and doing whois are like authoritative previous DNS servers, correct and check the configuration of the new nameservers which, evidently, are not compliant with the validation process of the Italian Registry.
It could happen that incase of DNS server configured in VALID mode and compliant with the requirements , the operation will not be immediately operational but only during the next update (therefore, theoretically, at most two hours later).
When in doubt, always contact your Registrar or Reseller with whom you registered the domain. We also recommend the glossary on the page: https://www.nic.it/it/gestisci-il-tuo-it/glossario#gloss-p