What is the first step to migrate to Cloud DNS?

The first step to migrate to Cloud DNS is to create a managed zone in Google Cloud Platform (GCP). This is essential because a managed zone is the container for your DNS records and provides the environment where you can manage those records. By establishing a managed zone, you define the domain name for which you will be hosting the DNS management, set up the necessary configurations, and prepare the structure that will hold all the subsequent DNS records (such as A records, CNAME records, etc.) that you intend to use.

Creating a managed zone allows you to leverage GCP's powerful DNS features, such as global load balancing and high availability, thus ensuring optimal performance for your domain. It is the foundational step needed before you can make any other changes related to your DNS settings in the cloud environment, such as importing existing records or updating registrar settings.

Subsequent actions, such as updating the registrar's name server records or importing zone files, depend on having the managed zone created, making it the logical first step in the migration process.