Setup own URL Shortening Service for Websites on Rackspace Cloud

With modern Control panel, Rackspace Cloud makes everything very easy, the problem is – Rackspace is not so good advertising out their robust features. Today in this guide on how to setup own URL Shortening Service for Websites on Rackspace Cloud with Google Apps, we will show one robust feature of Rackspace Control panel and cloud DNS. Also this guide shows not only to Setup own URL Shortening Service for the Rackspace Cloud users, but also how to add a custom CNAME.

Prerequisites for Setup own URL Shortening Service for Websites on Rackspace Cloud

Direct existing Rackspace Cloud users with the domain or subdomain which will be used to Setup own URL Shortening Service.
Customers of our managed WordPress service just needs to request us.
To Setup own URL Shortening Service, the domain needs to be verified for Google Apps for Domains beforehand. As most Rackspace users uses default Mail server, most will probably will need to add Google Apps for Domain as most uses all Cloud Services from Rackspace not of Google. Here is an overview of adding your domain to use Google Apps for Domains. This is a must step to Setup own URL Shortening Service, if you have not yet added.

Steps to Setup own URL Shortening Service

Login to your control panel and click the domain name listed under Cloud Sites which you want to Setup own URL Shortening Service or use API for Cloud DNS for advanced Cloud Servers settings. Simply click the Add A Button :

Yup, this is the trick here to Setup own URL Shortening Service for Websites on Rackspace Cloud. We do not need to add a subdomain to Setup own URL Shortening Service. in fact if you add subdomain to Setup own URL Shortening Service, you will be unable to use this guide to Setup own URL Shortening Service. The crux is, the name will look like subdomain, but its actually a CNAME record to Setup own URL Shortening Service.

For example, we will use go.thecustomizewindows.com to show you how to Setup own URL Shortening Service. Proceed :

Use the name you want to appear as if subdomain to Setup own URL Shortening Service. Like we have used “go” for this guide to Setup own URL Shortening Service. If you are advanced user, you must be thinking, I added A record, how the hell it will become CNAME ? You are using World’s most advanced Cloud Computing platform and connecting with another standard Cloud Apps to Setup own URL Shortening Service. Everything will happen like a magic.

Use ghs.google.com as content. This is constant. Save it and you will notice, that intended ‘subdomain’ like name in the list is showing ghs.google.com as CNAME record not A record.

Now login to Google Apps for domain. Typically it is – https://www.google.com/a/cpanel/YOURDOMAIN-WITH-EXTENSION to do the last steps to Setup own URL Shortening Service using Google’s service. Add Google Short Links service while logged in from here. Next step to Setup own URL Shortening Service are easy :