delegation

[Bill]

that's an interesting thought...there was already a zone
there, not created by me, that had an A record for the DNS
server in the child domain. There is also an SOA record
there that points to a DNS server in the parent domain and
has a list of NS records in its properties. I've created
the blank A record pointing to the child domain, but is it
necessary to delete all the other records in that zone?
I've done what you've suggested without deleting them and
it still is not resolving, so do you think deleting those
other records will help?

 

[Herb Martin]

that's an interesting thought...there was already a zone
there, not created by me, that had an A record for the DNS
server in the child domain.

There is a slight technical and practical difference between a "zone"
(that is delegated) and a "subdomain" that lives in the parent zone.

Delegation is the act of pointing to another (separate) zone for the
child domain, which is usually (but not necessarily) maintained on
other servers or by other admins.

A mere subdomain lives in the parent domain zone and is maintained
on exactly the same servers by the same admin.

There is also an SOA record
there that points to a DNS server in the parent domain and
has a list of NS records in its properties.

This implies an actual child zone, since SOA records are for all practical
purposes the "Header" record for a zone -- and most people wouldn't
say that an "SOA record POINTS to a DNS server" -- there is one
listed in the SOA but the separate NS record is the one most people
think of as "pointing" to the child zone.

We expect (one or more) NS records in the parent zone, that reference
the child zone, and declare the DNS server for it. Frequently an A record
for this server is required also. This NS or pair of records is referred to
as "delegation" or "glue" records.

['Glue' being a nearly technical term.]

I've created
the blank A record pointing to the child domain, but is it
necessary to delete all the other records in that zone?

It's not clear what you actually have -- nor is it clear what you mean
by "blank" -- ? using the zone name alone?