From 28 January 2020, .health.nz domain names will be managed using the government Domain Name System.
Following the end of service from the existing provider, the .health.nz Domain Name System (DNS) managed by the Ministry of Health is moving to the same secure platform currently used for government domain names. The all-of-government DNS system is managed by the Department of Internal Affairs and operated by Liverton Security, a New Zealand owned and operated cyber security supplier. The change will see all .health.nz domains shift to Liverton Security this January.
More information about the all-of-government DNS
Things to note
The transition to the new system will take place on Monday 27 January 2020. This is not expected to cause any downtime for DNS resolution and your domains will remain available throughout.
However, there will be a blackout for any DNS changes from 3.00pm on Friday 24 January 2020 until 9.00am Tuesday 28 January 2020. Please ensure you plan to make any changes to .health.nz zones before or after this period.
From 28 January 2020, all changes will be made via the management portal at dns.digital.govt.nz. The existing portal at dns.health.nz will not function from this date. From this time, technical support from Liverton Security will be available via email at LiveDNS@livertonsecurity.com or on 0800 536 7999, instead of the existing contact information used to contact Modica Group now.
What do I have to do to transfer my domains?
No action is required by you for the transition of your domains to the new system.
However, you may wish to carry out your own testing following the transition, particularly for critical services. This might include checking that websites, mail servers and APIs are operating as expected.
What if I need to make changes during the blackout period?
Please contact us immediately if you’re impacted by the blackout period of 3.00pm on Friday 24 January – 9.00am on Tuesday 28 January 2020.
What’s changing
How is the new system different?
Logging in will now be based on individual user accounts that belong to your organisation, rather than shared accounts for each domain name.
Otherwise, like the current system the new platform includes a portal for registering and managing your domains, nameserver hosting and a service desk for technical support. Moving to the all-of-government DNS system will allow the service to offer new features, alongside a higher level of security, availability and resilience. The system features five highly secure and resilient nameservers, as well as an automated layer of encryption called DNSSEC and modern security features like token-based two-factor authentication.
See below for links and contact details for after the change.
How does this affect security certification?
Certification of the all-of-government DNS system is managed by the office of the Government Chief Digital Officer at the Department of Internal Affairs. Contact domains@digital.govt.nz for more information.
How does this affect terms & conditions?
By registering a .health.nz domain, you’ve agreed to the terms & conditions of the .health.nz domain. These are unaffected by this change.
Contact information and links
For more information about this change: healthdomain@moh.govt.nz
For regular service from the government domain service following the change: domains@digital.govt.nz
Liverton Security technical support: 0800 LDNS999 (0800 536 7999) or LiveDNS@livertonsecurity.com
DNS management portal from 28 January 2020: dns.digital.govt.nz
More information on government DNS: digital.govt.nz/DNS
Published
29 April 2020
