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What is a DNS reverse zone (PTR records) and why are they needed for mail servers?

Answer

The DNS reverse zone is responsible for mapping a server's IP address to its domain name. While regular A records translate a site name into a digital address, PTR records do the opposite by performing a reverse lookup procedure.

Having a correct PTR record is a critical requirement for any server sending electronic mail. Spam filters of major mail services check the sender's IP address against their domain, and if the reverse record is missing, emails may be instantly rejected or sent to spam.

To set up a PTR record, it is not enough to change the settings at the domain registrar. Since the IP address belongs to your hosting provider, a request to create or modify the reverse zone must be submitted through your hoster's technical support service.

When setting up PTR, the following rules are generally followed:

•Make sure your mail server has a correct A record configured for a third-level domain, such as mail.example.com.
•Contact hosting technical support with a request to bind this domain to your dedicated IP address as a PTR.
•Verify the result using specialized network utilities or online mail reputation checking services.
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