How to Delete a server from a DNS cluster in whm?

A DNS cluster is a group of nameservers that share DNS records, allowing you to separate DNS handling from your web servers. When a server is no longer needed in the cluster — for example, during server decommissioning or cluster restructuring — you should properly remove it to prevent stale or conflicting DNS records.

The removal process involves two parts: disabling DNS clustering on the server you want to remove, and then deleting that server from the remaining cluster members.

Step 1: Log in to the Server Being Removed

Log in to WHM on the server that you want to remove from the DNS cluster by navigating to https://server-ip:2087.

Step 2: Disable DNS Clustering

Navigate to Home » Clusters » DNS Cluster. Under the Global Cluster Options section, click Disable DNS Clustering, then click Change to confirm.

This stops the server from participating in DNS synchronization with the rest of the cluster.

Step 3: Log in to a Remaining Cluster Server

Log in to WHM on one of the servers that will remain in the DNS cluster.

Step 4: Delete the Server from the Cluster

Navigate to Home » Clusters » DNS Cluster. Scroll to the list of cluster members and locate the server you wish to remove.

Under the Actions column, click the × (remove) icon next to the server you want to delete. Repeat this step on every remaining server in the cluster that has the removed server listed.

Step 5: Verify Removal

After removing the server, click Return to Cluster Status to confirm the server no longer appears in the cluster member list. Repeat this check on all remaining cluster servers.

Important Notes

• You must perform the removal on all remaining servers in the cluster, not just one. Each server maintains its own cluster configuration.
• If the server you are removing had the Standalone or Synchronize role, ensure DNS records for its domains are properly handled before removal.
• If any domains in the cluster use DNSSEC, all servers must run PowerDNS. Removing a server does not affect DNSSEC validation on remaining servers.
• If a cluster member was disabled due to exceeding the Failure threshold, you must manually re-enable it after the issue is resolved.
• The DNS Cluster interface requires the DNS Clustering Account Creation Limit ACL privilege for resellers.

Troubleshooting

• Cannot find the × icon: Make sure you are logged in as the root user. Select root from the "Managing DNS Cluster as:" dropdown at the top of the page.
• DNS records not updating after removal: Run /scripts/dnscluster syncall via SSH on the remaining cluster servers to force a synchronization.
• Server still appears after clicking remove: Refresh the page. If it persists, check that the cluster configuration file (/var/cpanel/dnscluster.config) was updated by running cat /var/cpanel/dnscluster.config via SSH.

For more information, see the official cPanel documentation: DNS Cluster.