DNS monitors query a DNS resolver for a specific record and verify the result matches your expected values. Use them to detect misconfiguration, unauthorized changes, or propagation failures after a DNS update.
When to use DNS monitors
- Verify your
Arecord still points to the right IP after an infrastructure change - Alert if your
MXrecords change unexpectedly (could indicate email hijacking) - Confirm DNS changes have propagated globally after an update
- Monitor
TXTrecords for SPF/DKIM validity
Setting up a DNS monitor
In your project, click Add monitor and choose DNS. Configure:
Hostname — the domain to query (e.g. example.com or mail.example.com).
Record type — the DNS record to look up:
| Type | Checks |
|---|---|
| A | IPv4 address |
| AAAA | IPv6 address |
| CNAME | Canonical name alias |
| MX | Mail exchange records |
| TXT | SPF, DKIM, domain verification |
| NS | Nameserver records |
Expected values — the values you expect to see in the response. The check passes when all of your expected values are present (extra records in the response are ignored).
How the check works
Watchplane queries a DNS resolver for the record type you’ve specified. If all the expected values you entered are present in the response, the check is up. If any expected value is missing, the check is down and an incident is created.