LOC records allow you to specify a physical location for a domain name. It contains Latitude, Longitude and Altitude information as well as host/subnet physical size and location accuracy. This information can be queried by other computers connected to the Internet.
The LOC record has the following look in your DNS zone management page:
| Host | Type | Points to: | TTL |
| www.domain.com | LOC | 0 0 0 N 0 0 0 W 1 1 10000 10 | 1 Hour |
The LOC record is important for various reasons. For example, it can be necessary for legal and compliance purposes. It allows organizations to stick to data sovereignty regulations by ensuring that data is stored and processed in precise geographical regions. On the other hand, the record can assist in disaster recovery and network troubleshooting, as administrators can pinpoint the location of servers in the event of failures or performance issues.
Log in to your ClouDNS account, enter your DNS zone management page, and click on the Add new record button. For Type choose "LOC" and type as follow:
*This hostname is used as an example.
A DNS LOC record provides detailed geographical information about a domain. Let's break down an example to understand its components:
www.example.com LOC 37 47 0.0 N 122 25 0.0 W -15.00m 20m 10m 10m
This specifies that the host www.example.com is located at 37 degrees, 47 minutes North, and 122 degrees, 25 minutes West, with an altitude of -15 meters, a size of 20 meters, and both horizontal and vertical precisions of 10 meters.g
Let’s break it down in more details the components of the example:
*This hostname is used as an example.
This record helps specify the exact physical location of the host www.example.com, providing valuable information for compliance, disaster recovery, and network optimization.
The LOC record type cannot be checked so easily in Windows because neither Nslookup nor Powershell's Resolve-DnsName has support for it.
However, there is still a chance for you to install WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) and proceed by following the instructions below for Linux/macOS. Another alternative is to simply use an online lookup tool, such as the ClouDNS Free DNS tool, to check your LOC record.
In case you are a Linux/macOS user, you can open the Terminal and check your LOC record simply by using DIG. Here is an example:
$ dig example.com LOC
You can see the result in the answer section. There will be the LOC records that are available.
ClouDNS provides full support for LOC records for all our DNS services, including the listed below. Just write to our technical support, if you need any assistance with your LOC records configuration. Our Technical Support team is online for you 24/7 via live chat and tickets.
Question: Are LOC records used in conjunction with other DNS records?
Answer: Yes, LOC records can complement other DNS records like A and AAAA records, improving the overall functionality of a domain's DNS configuration.
Question: How frequently should LOC records be updated?
Answer: The frequency of updates depends on the rate of change in server locations. For static servers, updates may be infrequent, while dynamic environments require more regular updates.
Question: Are LOC records limited to specific industries?
Answer: While not limited to specific industries, LOC records find use in disaster recovery and any field where accurate location-based data is beneficial.