Configuring Third-Party DNS and AWS Route 53 with Elastic Load Balancers

This article explains how to configure domain name system (DNS) records for AWS Elastic Load Balancers (ELBs), both when using third-party DNS providers and AWS Route 53. When using a third-party DNS provider, only subdomains such as www.example.com can be pointed to an ELB using a CNAME record, due to DNS restrictions that prevent root domains from using CNAME. If the DNS provider supports ALIAS or ANAME records, root domains can also point to the ELB. Otherwise, additional workarounds like HTTP redirects are required. On the other hand, AWS Route 53 provides a native ALIAS record that works for both root domains and subdomains, eliminating the need for a CNAME. Route 53 automatically updates the DNS if the ELB’s DNS name changes, and there is no additional cost for DNS lookups. The article also provides a summary table comparing third-party DNS providers and Route 53 in terms of root domain support, subdomain support, automatic ELB DNS updates, and extra costs, highlighting the convenience and efficiency of using Route 53 for ELB integration.