---
id: "zone-transfer"
kind: "glossary-term"
title: "zone transfer"
language: "en"
category: "DNS and technical foundations"
updated: "2026-10-04T14:01:23Z"
canonical: "https://tldlog.com/glossary/zone-transfer/"
translations:
  es: "https://tldlog.com/es/glosario/transferencia-zona/"
  de: "https://tldlog.com/de/glossar/zonentransfer/"
  fr: "https://tldlog.com/fr/glossaire/transfert-zone/"
  it: "https://tldlog.com/it/glossario/trasferimento-zona/"
  pt-BR: "https://tldlog.com/pt/glossario/transferencia-zona/"
  ru: "https://tldlog.com/ru/glossariy/peredacha-zony/"
  zh-Hans: "https://tldlog.com/zh/cihui/quyu-chuansong/"
---

# zone transfer

The copying of a DNS zone from one name server to another. A full transfer sends the whole zone and an incremental transfer sends only what changed. It keeps secondary servers in step with the primary. It should be limited to approved servers, since it reveals every name in the zone.

## related terms

- [primary and secondary servers](https://tldlog.com/glossary/primary-and-secondary-server/)
- [TSIG](https://tldlog.com/glossary/tsig/)
- [SOA record](https://tldlog.com/glossary/soa-record/)
- [zone file](https://tldlog.com/glossary/zone-file/)
- [authoritative server](https://tldlog.com/glossary/authoritative-server/)