DNS Propagation Monitoring

From Applied to Globally Visible

When a changeset reaches Verified at your provider, ZoneWatcher starts polling a curated set of public DNS resolvers from multiple regions. Each resolver is queried for the affected records on a polling cadence that tightens as propagation progresses. The Propagation section on the changeset detail page lists every resolver with its IP, current status, the number of checks performed, and the timestamp it first reported the new value — you can see propagation roll across the map without leaving the changeset.

Per-Resolver Status

Every resolver gets one of three states so you can spot stragglers without staring at raw DNS output.

Propagated

The resolver is returning the expected post-change value. The first-seen timestamp is captured so you can compare propagation speed across resolvers.

Mismatch

The resolver answered, but the value doesn't match the expected post-change state — usually because of a long TTL on the previous record. ZoneWatcher keeps polling until it lands.

Timeout

The resolver didn't respond inside the polling window. Persistent timeouts trigger a Propagation Timeout notification so you can investigate.

Notifications When It's Truly Done

The Propagated event fires only after every polled resolver has reported the expected value, which is often the signal you're actually waiting for — the moment you can flip a feature flag, retire a maintenance page, or close the change ticket. Propagation Timeout fires if the rollout stalls past the expected TTL window so you can dig in before users notice.

Available on the Control Plan

Propagation monitoring is included on the Control plan as part of the change management workflow. It runs automatically for every applied changeset — no setup required. Start your free trial and watch your next DNS change roll across the internet in real time.