Steps to Minimise or Avoid Downtime When Taking a Website Live

Minimising downtime when taking a website live is essential for ensuring a smooth transition and maintaining user experience. This guide outlines best practices to configure your DNS settings, avoid SSL delays, and prevent unnecessary downtime.

Below are some steps to minimise downtime prior to going live

Check Your DNS TTL Settings

• Use a tool like MX Toolbox and select DNS Lookup.
• Enter your domain name and verify the Time-to-Live (TTL) value for your DNS records.

Set TTL to 5 Minutes or Lower

• If the TTL value is higher than 5 minutes, update it with your DNS provider.
• A lower TTL ensures near-instant DNS propagation, reducing delays during the GoLive process.

Please note that if your TTL was set to i.e. 24 hours before changing it to 5mins, it’s best to wait at least 24 hours to take your website live since you need it to cycle throughout the internet system for it to refresh to 5mins.

2x or more A records

For example, inside Staq Panel > Domains, you have:

• root entry
• www entry

you’re supposed to then have one of these combinations:

• 1x A record for the root entry, 1x A record for the www entry; or
• 1x A record for the root entry, 1x CNAME record for www entry pointing to the root domain.

If you have 2x or more A records, delete the unnecessary one that does not point to Staq. This will prevent the SSL generation process. To see if this is the case, go to Staq Panel > Domains and see if a warning appears, similar to this where it tells you “Multiple A records found. Remove <IP Address> for SSL to generate or renew:

Cloudflare Surprises

• If you’re using Cloudflare, make sure to integrate it into Staq by following this guide: Integrating Cloudflare with Staq.
• If integration isn’t possible, ensure that the proxy feature is disabled during the SSL certificate generation process. Re-enable it afterward.

Handle CAA Records (If Applicable)

Check to see if this domain has CAA records enabled. To do so, use a tool like CAA Lookup Tool

Staq uses 2x SSL providers:

• Lets Encrypt; and
• ZeroSSL.

If the domain has enabled CAA records, please make sure you have the following records added to the CAA record:

• letsencrypt.org
• sectigo.com

Update your DNS records to include these providers if they are not already listed.

Proceed with the GoLive Process

• With your DNS settings confirmed, initiate the GoLive process in the Staq Panel.
• Staq’s SSL generator will retrieve the correct DNS information for certification generation.

Why Are These Steps Important?

A properly configured DNS setup is critical to avoid:

• Delayed SSL certification due to slow DNS propagation.
• Errors from mismatched DNS settings.
• Failed SSL generation attempts, potentially leading to a ban of the domain.

By following these steps, you can ensure a smooth and efficient GoLive process, avoiding unnecessary downtime and delays.