Infrastructure & ZoneRFC 2782
SRV Record — SRV Record (Service Locator)
Defines the location (hostname and port number) of servers for specific protocols like SIP, XMPP, or LDAP.
RECORD TYPE
SRV
STANDARD RFC
RFC 2782
DEFAULT TTL
3600 seconds (1 hour)
CATEGORY
Infrastructure & Zone
BIND Zone File Syntax Example
_sip._tcp.example.com. 3600 IN SRV 10 60 5060 bigbox.example.com.How to Query & Check SRV Records
Linux / Mac (dig)
dig +short SRV _sip._tcp.example.comWindows / Generic (nslookup)
nslookup -type=SRV _sip._tcp.example.comPowerShell (Resolve-DnsName)
Resolve-DnsName -Name _sip._tcp.example.com -Type SRVRecommended Best Practices
Follow the strict naming convention: `_service._protocol.domain.com` (e.g. `_xmpp-client._tcp.example.com`).
Primary Use Cases:
- •VoIP and SIP telephone communication systems
- •Minecraft gaming servers (`_minecraft._tcp.mc.example.com`)
- •Active Directory domain controller discovery and Kerberos authentication
Common Configuration Mistake
Pointing an SRV target to an IP address instead of a resolvable hostname.
Always verify records using authoritative queries (`dig @1.1.1.1 $SRV example.com`) to bypass local ISP caching when debugging propagation delays.
Frequently Asked Questions
DNS SRV Record Questions & Answers
Common questions regarding DNS propagation, TTL settings, and zone file syntax.
SRV (Service) records eliminate hardcoded port numbers by defining the service name, protocol, priority, weight, port, and target hostname directly within DNS.