---
schema_version: "1"
id: bbf3cd26cbef624352ed3cf0ebfa2ebe59804aad93935e7d058900dd51e1f50c
title: DNS Record Maintenance for Your Marketing Cloud Engagement Custom Domain and Email Sending
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/mktg/264-0-0/mc_es_dns_record_maintenance.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_es_dns_record_maintenance.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: bd03ccdddaeb622ac99c4da6fa53985bca2fcd5843cbae7727cebbf7a2afb11a
description: Marketing Cloud Engagement recommends using a custom domain for email sending and Reply Mail Management activities. Domain configuration for use with Engagement requires several DNS entries for proper operation, whether you self-host DNS or delegate DNS to Engagement name servers.
products:
  - Marketing
  - Marketing Cloud Engagement
release: "264"
---
# DNS Record Maintenance for Your Marketing Cloud Engagement Custom Domain and Email Sending

Marketing Cloud Engagement recommends using a custom domain for email sending and Reply Mail Management activities. Domain configuration for use with Engagement requires several DNS entries for proper operation, whether you self-host DNS or delegate DNS to Engagement name servers.

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-mktg-mc_marketing_cloud_overview-264-0-0-production-enus/2555afdb-8049-4e3c-8043-0e04803e5f16/images/icon_note.png)

Note The content on this page doesn’t apply to Hyperforce. If you’re configuring a private domain for Hyperforce, Salesforce provides your unique entries later in the setup process.

See this knowledge article for more information: [Sender Authentication Package (SAP) Custom Domain Requirements](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=000382421&type=1&language=en_US).

For customers who want to self-host DNS, Engagement can’t provide specific instructions for DNS configuration. Different hosts and registrars use different processes, and any change can cause errors with DNS authentication or related setups. Engagement sometimes adds a name server or changes sending IP addresses, requiring updates to your DNS records. This modification requires direct access to the IT or domain host configuration instructions.

For example, set the MX entries for Engagement servers only, or Reply Mail Management reply filters fail to operate correctly. To ensure that all aspects of Engagement can interact with the domain correctly, set all entries provided in a zone file. The table shows a sample of the applicable records.

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small "><colgroup><col style="width:25%"> <col style="width:25%"> <col style="width:25%"> <col style="width:25%"></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">localpart</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">FQDN</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Type</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Value</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">@</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">sample.example.com</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">MX</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Allows email sends using Engagement servers</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">bounce</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">bounce.sample.example.com</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">MX</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Tracks email sends and bounces</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">reply</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">reply.sample.example.com</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">MX</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Allows Reply Mail Management to handle filters and forwards replies to a specified address</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">leave</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">leave.sample.example.com</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">MX</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Allows subscribers to unsubscribe</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">image</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">image.sample.example.com</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">CNAME</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Points to Engagement image servers</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">view</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">view.sample.example.com</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">CNAME</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Points to Engagement View As Web Page servers</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">click</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">click.sample.example.com</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">CNAME</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Points to Engagement click URL servers for click-throughs and link clicks</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">pages</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">pages.sample.example.com</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">CNAME</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Points to Engagement microsite and landing page servers</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">cloud</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">cloud.sample.example.com</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">CNAME</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Points to Engagement cloud page servers</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">mta</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">mta.sample.example.com</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">A</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Points to a dedicated IP address</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">example._domainkey</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">example._domainkey.sample.example.com</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">TXT</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Authenticates DKIM and DK Selector</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">@</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">sample.example.com</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">TXT</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">SPF1 (SPF status authorizes bounce host in mfrom identity)</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">bounce</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">bounce.sample.example.com</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">TXT</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">SPF1 for bounce host</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">reply</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">reply.sample.example.com</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">TXT</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">SPF1 for reply host</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">dmarc</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">_dmarc.sample.example.com</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">TXT</td><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Protects email senders and recipients from the unauthorized use of email domains</td></tr></tbody></table>

Engagement offers limited support for self-hosted DNS. If you self-host, consult a technical professional to learn how to configure your name server and negotiate conflicts with other services running on the same domain.

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-mktg-mc_marketing_cloud_overview-264-0-0-production-enus/2555afdb-8049-4e3c-8043-0e04803e5f16/images/icon_note.png)

Note If you have a proxy or a web application firewall (WAF) configured for all your domains, make an exception for custom domains that are hosted on Engagement servers so that their traffic reaches Engagement directly. Salesforce manages the security for those domains on your behalf, including SSL certificate provisioning and renewal. If your security policy doesn’t allow this exception, see [Configure Self-Hosted DNS for Custom Domains Routed Through a Proxy](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_es_configure_self_hosted_dns_branded_domains.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Custom domains hosted by Marketing Cloud Engagement route directly to Engagement servers by default, and Salesforce manages the security for those domains. If your security policy requires a proxy or web application firewall (WAF) for all your domains, self-host DNS and point the proxy at the Domain Specific Endpoint (DSE) so that Salesforce can provision and renew SSL certificates for the domain.").

Another option is to delegate DNS for your domain or subdomain to the Salesforce Engagement name servers. Either approach requires only four NS entries in your DNS.

- ns1.exacttarget.com
- ns2.exacttarget.com
- ns3.exacttarget.com
- ns4.exacttarget.com

Delegating a subdomain allows you to maintain control of your domain while allowing Engagement to update DNS entries for your custom domains as needed. See [Custom Subdomain Delegation](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_es_subdomain_delegation_guide.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "You can use domain or subdomain delegation, also called zone delegation, to configure your DNS. Subdomain configuration transfers only part of your existing custom domain to Marketing Cloud Engagement as part of your authenticated domain configuration. Engagement uses only the specified subdomain for appropriate activities.").