Edge Resiliency

Chapter 5. Choosing a Managed DNS Provider

There are many providers of managed or intelligent DNS solutions. It is impossible within the scope of this book to elaborate on all the facets to consider, so here we suggest some of the criteria to weigh if you want to further explore a managed DNS service. There is no specific ordering by importance given that each reader’s priorities are their own. Within these considerations, the differentiator should be the needs of your business.

Evaluation Period

As you consider a managed DNS service, you want to make sure that you are offered the opportunity to evaluate, pilot, and implement a redundant DNS service. Ideally, you can do this in a colocated environment—without introducing risk or disruption to your current DNS infrastructure.

Business-Critical Availability

In terms of availability, there are several factors to look for, such as operation centers based out of geographically distributed PoPs. You should award bonus points for centers that are on separate power grids, floodplains, and fault lines to protect against disasters. Redundant server configurations should always be in place to protect against hardware failures. And multiple Tier 1 transit providers at each PoP can provide additional confidence in the provider’s resiliency.

A Focus on Security

Providers should employ a variety of security measures to establish trust, defend against threats and malicious attacks, and mitigate risk. Moreover, they should have dedicated ...