Use an SRV record when an application explicitly supports DNS-based service discovery. PD BIND 9 DNS provides separate fields for priority, weight, port and target so the record can be reviewed before it is saved.

Obtain the application’s requirements

Identify the service label, protocol, domain, target hostname and port. Keep priority and weight distinct: priority selects a preferred group, while weight helps distribute selection within an equal-priority group. The client application must support that service’s SRV lookup.

Create and inspect

1. Open the intended BIND 9 DNS zone and choose Add record → SRV.
2. Enter the requested service/protocol name beneath the domain.
3. Fill in Priority, Weight, Port, target hostname and TTL.
4. Save and inspect the complete assembled record name and values.
5. Compare all SRV values sharing that name and the saved TTLs.

The target is a hostname, not a URL with a scheme or path. Make sure it has the address records required by the service and that the service is listening on the advertised port.

Verify discovery and connectivity

Check the authoritative SRV answer first. Then test the application’s own discovery and connection behaviour; a successful DNS write does not open a firewall or enable a service.

If the client ignores the record, confirm that it uses the expected service label and protocol. Keep the exact requested fields, expected target and redacted result for diagnosis instead of repeatedly adding differently shaped records. For an ordinary website address use the A, AAAA and CNAME guide instead.

If the change cannot be activated

A successful validation and file write are separate from the running BIND service loading the change. If the result reports an activation or reload failure, preserve the exact redacted message and ask the server administrator to investigate. Check current records before repeating the write; do not assume an error means nothing changed.

See the PD BIND 9 DNS Blesta guide for related tasks, or explore the module.