Custom Domains

Custom Domains Overview

Custom domains allow you to brand your Ticket System with your own domain name. This guide covers:

• Understanding custom domain benefits
• Setting up DNS configuration
• Configuring SSL certificates
• Branding and customization
• Multi-domain management

Benefits of Custom Domains

1. Professional Branding

• Use your own domain name
• Maintain brand consistency
• Build customer trust
• Professional appearance

2. SEO and Marketing

• Better search engine rankings
• Easier to remember URLs
• Improved marketing campaigns
• Brand recognition

3. Security and Trust

• SSL certificate branding
• Enhanced security perception
• Reduced phishing risk
• Professional security indicators

4. Enterprise Features

• Multi-domain support
• White-label solutions
• Custom branding options
• Advanced security features

DNS Configuration

1. Domain Setup

1. Purchase a domain from a registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.)
2. Access your domain's DNS management panel
3. Add the required DNS records
4. Wait for DNS propagation (24-48 hours)

2. Required DNS Records

3. Example DNS Configuration

# Example DNS records for tickets.yourcompany.com

# A Record - Main domain
Type: A
Name: @
Value: 203.0.113.1
TTL: 3600

# CNAME Record - www subdomain
Type: CNAME
Name: www
Value: tickets.yourcompany.com
TTL: 3600

# A Record - API subdomain (if needed)
Type: A
Name: api
Value: 203.0.113.1
TTL: 3600

SSL Certificate Configuration

1. Let's Encrypt (Recommended)

2. Commercial Certificates

• Wildcard Certificates: Cover all subdomains
• Multi-Domain Certificates: Cover multiple domains
• Extended Validation: Enhanced security indicators
• Custom Branding: Your company name in certificate

3. Certificate Management

• Auto-Renewal: Automatic certificate renewal
• Monitoring: Certificate expiration alerts
• Backup: Certificate backup procedures
• Rollover: Seamless certificate updates

Web Server Configuration

1. NGINX Configuration

# /etc/nginx/sites-available/yourdomain.com
server {
    listen 80;
    server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;
    return 301 https://$server_name$request_uri;
}

server {
    listen 443 ssl http2;
    server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;

    # SSL Configuration
    ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/fullchain.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/privkey.pem;
    ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
    ssl_ciphers ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA512:DHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA512;
    ssl_prefer_server_ciphers off;

    # Security Headers
    add_header X-Frame-Options DENY;
    add_header X-Content-Type-Options nosniff;
    add_header X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block";
    add_header Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=63072000; includeSubDomains; preload";

    # Main application
    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:3000;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
        proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;
    }

    # Bot webhook endpoint
    location /webhook/ {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:3001;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
    }

2. Apache Configuration

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName yourdomain.com
    ServerAlias www.yourdomain.com
    Redirect permanent / https://yourdomain.com/
</VirtualHost>

<VirtualHost *:443>
    ServerName yourdomain.com
    ServerAlias www.yourdomain.com
    
    SSLEngine on
    SSLCertificateFile /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/fullchain.pem
    SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/privkey.pem
    
    ProxyPreserveHost On
    ProxyPass / http://localhost:3000/
    ProxyPassReverse / http://localhost:3000/
    
    ProxyPass /webhook/ http://localhost:3001/webhook/
    ProxyPassReverse /webhook/ http://localhost:3001/webhook/
</VirtualHost>

Branding and Customization

1. Logo and Branding

• Logo Upload: Add your company logo
• Favicon: Custom browser icon
• Color Scheme: Match your brand colors
• Typography: Use your brand fonts

2. Content Customization

• Page Titles: Custom page titles
• Meta Descriptions: SEO-optimized descriptions
• Custom Pages: Add your own content
• Footer Information: Company details and links

3. Email Branding

• Email Templates: Custom email designs
• Sender Information: Your company details
• Email Domain: Use your domain for emails
• Email Signatures: Professional signatures

4. Advanced Customization

• Custom CSS: Advanced styling options
• JavaScript: Custom functionality
• API Integration: Connect with your systems
• Custom Domains: Multiple domain support

Multi-Domain Setup

1. Enterprise Features

2. Domain Management

1. Add new domains in the dashboard
2. Configure DNS records for each domain
3. Set up SSL certificates
4. Configure domain-specific settings
5. Test domain functionality
6. Monitor domain health

3. Domain Isolation

• Separate Databases: Isolated data per domain
• Custom Configurations: Domain-specific settings
• Independent Analytics: Separate reporting
• Custom Integrations: Domain-specific APIs

Monitoring and Maintenance

1. Domain Health Monitoring

• SSL Certificate Monitoring: Expiration alerts
• DNS Health Checks: Record validation
• Uptime Monitoring: Availability tracking
• Performance Monitoring: Response time tracking

2. Security Monitoring

• SSL Certificate Validation: Certificate health checks
• Security Headers: Header validation
• Vulnerability Scanning: Security assessments
• Access Logging: Traffic monitoring

3. Backup and Recovery

• Certificate Backups: SSL certificate backups
• Configuration Backups: Server config backups
• DNS Backups: DNS record backups
• Recovery Procedures: Disaster recovery plans

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Debug Commands

# Check DNS resolution
nslookup yourdomain.com
dig yourdomain.com

# Check SSL certificate
openssl s_client -connect yourdomain.com:443 -servername yourdomain.com

# Test web server
curl -I https://yourdomain.com
curl -I http://yourdomain.com

# Check NGINX configuration
nginx -t
systemctl status nginx

# Check SSL certificate expiration
certbot certificates

Best Practices

1. Domain Selection

• Choose a memorable domain name
• Use HTTPS by default
• Keep domain names short
• Consider internationalization

2. Security Configuration

• Use strong SSL certificates
• Implement security headers
• Regular security audits
• Monitor for vulnerabilities

3. Performance Optimization

4. Maintenance Procedures

• Regular certificate renewal
• DNS record validation
• Backup procedures
• Update security patches

Next Steps

After setting up custom domains:

1. Customize Dashboard - Configure branding and appearance
2. Set Up Analytics - Track domain performance
3. Configure Staff Access - Set up domain-specific permissions
4. Optimize Categories - Configure domain-specific categories