--- title: How to Configure Custom CNAME Records for MySQL Clusters description: Assign custom domain names to MySQL Standard Edition clusters using the DigitalOcean API. product: Databases url: https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/databases/mysql/how-to/configure-custom-cnames/ last_updated: "2026-07-31" --- > **For AI agents:** The documentation index is at [https://docs.digitalocean.com/llms.txt](https://docs.digitalocean.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of pages use the same URL with `index.html.md` in place of the HTML page (for example, append `index.html.md` to the directory path instead of opening the HTML document). # How to Configure Custom CNAME Records for MySQL Clusters MySQL is an open source, object-relational database built with speed and reliability in mind. Its large and active developer community has created many third-party applications, tools, and libraries that expand MySQL’s functionality. You can assign custom CNAME records to DigitalOcean Managed MySQL Standard Edition clusters using the DigitalOcean API when you create a cluster or replica, or when you update an existing cluster. Custom CNAME records let clients connect using a domain name you control, such as `db.example.com`, instead of the cluster’s default `*.db.ondigitalocean.com` hostname. This is useful if you provide database access to end users and want to use your own branding. ## Limits - Custom CNAMEs are available for Standard Edition clusters only. Advanced Edition clusters do not support custom CNAMEs. - Custom CNAMEs are available through the DigitalOcean API only. There is no Control Panel or `doctl` CLI support. - You can set custom CNAMEs when creating a cluster or replica, or update them on an existing cluster using the [update DO settings](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/api/reference/databases/index.html.md#databases_update_do_settings) endpoint. - Each cluster supports a maximum of 16 custom CNAMEs. - Each CNAME must be a valid [RFC 1123](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc1123) hostname (for example, `db.example.com`). - Each CNAME can be up to 253 characters long. ## Configure Custom CNAMEs at Cluster Creation To assign custom CNAMEs when creating a database cluster, include the `do_settings` object with a `service_cnames` array in the request body of the [create database cluster](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/api/reference/databases/index.html.md#databases_create_cluster) API call. The following example creates a cluster with two custom CNAMEs: ```json { "name": "db-example", "engine": "", "version": "", "region": "nyc3", "size": "db-s-1vcpu-1gb", "num_nodes": 1, "do_settings": { "service_cnames": [ "db.example.com", "database.example.com" ] } } ``` Send the request using `curl`: ```bash curl -X POST "https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/databases" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $DIGITALOCEAN_TOKEN" \ -d '{ "name": "db-example", "engine": "", "version": "", "region": "nyc3", "size": "db-s-1vcpu-1gb", "num_nodes": 1, "do_settings": { "service_cnames": [ "db.example.com", "database.example.com" ] } }' ``` Replace `` with the database engine (for example, `pg`, `mysql`, or `valkey`) and `` with the engine version. The response includes the `do_settings` object with the custom CNAMEs you configured. ## Configure Custom CNAMEs for Read Replicas You can also assign custom CNAMEs when creating a read replica. Include the `do_settings` object in the request body of the [create read replica](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/api/reference/databases/index.html.md#databases_create_replica) API call: ```bash curl -X POST "https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/databases//replicas" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $DIGITALOCEAN_TOKEN" \ -d '{ "name": "db-replica-example", "size": "db-s-1vcpu-1gb", "do_settings": { "service_cnames": [ "db-replica.example.com" ] } }' ``` ## Retrieve Custom CNAMEs on an Existing Cluster To view the custom CNAMEs configured on a cluster, send a GET request to the [retrieve DO settings](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/api/reference/databases/index.html.md#databases_get_do_settings) endpoint: ```bash curl -X GET "https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/databases//do_settings" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $DIGITALOCEAN_TOKEN" ``` The response includes the `do_settings` object with the cluster’s current `service_cnames` array. ## Update Custom CNAMEs on an Existing Cluster To change custom CNAMEs on an existing cluster, send a PUT request to the [update DO settings](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/api/reference/databases/index.html.md#databases_update_do_settings) endpoint: ```bash curl -X PUT "https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/databases//do_settings" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $DIGITALOCEAN_TOKEN" \ -d '{ "do_settings": { "service_cnames": [ "db.example.com", "database.example.com" ] } }' ``` To remove all custom CNAMEs, send an empty `service_cnames` array: ```bash curl -X PUT "https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/databases//do_settings" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $DIGITALOCEAN_TOKEN" \ -d '{ "do_settings": { "service_cnames": [] } }' ``` The API returns `HTTP 204` with no response body when the update succeeds. **Note**: Updating custom CNAMEs replaces database nodes in a rolling update to refresh TLS certificate subject alternative names (SANs). This process does not cause downtime. ## Set Up DNS Records After you configure custom CNAMEs, create DNS records with your DNS provider to point each custom domain to the cluster’s default hostname. Create a `CNAME` record for each custom domain that resolves to the cluster’s `*.db.ondigitalocean.com` hostname. For example, if your cluster’s default hostname is `db-example-do-user-1234567-0.db.ondigitalocean.com`, create a DNS record like: ```text db.example.com. CNAME db-example-do-user-1234567-0.db.ondigitalocean.com. ``` **Note**: Custom CNAMEs do not replace the default hostname. You can continue to connect using either the default hostname or your custom CNAME after DNS propagation completes.