What is a CNAME?
The CNAME (A Canonical Name record) is a way of pointing sub-domains at a different server to the main host. Thus, http://blog.gdknowledge.co.uk may be pointed to a different server such as http://gdknowledge.co.uk.
It is an industry-standard way of dividing up different functionality on a website. Many organisations, for example, use client.acmeco.com to host client-specific content behind a login, with the content hosted by a third party that specialises in building client portal (extranet) applications.
Passle has a similar solution. By using the Domain Name Servers, each Passle page can have a unique sub-domain name, for example insights.gdknowledge.co.uk.
This has four major benefits (and is highly recommended):
- The website name and URL look ‘right’.
- The SEO flows to your domain.
- Your analytics package can be used on the content.
- The entire page can be ‘skinned’ in your existing website design (so there is very little difference in the navigation or look & feel).