15th August, 2014
3 Min read
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The benefits of pairing DNS with CDN
If you’re not familiar with that last classic pairing, you should be. Pairing a managed DNS solution with your CDN provides your website with extra performance, reliability, and flexibility.
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Image source: DynDNS
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical distributed naming system for computers, services, or any resource connected to the Internet or a private network. It associates various information with domain names assigned to each of the participating entities. It basically serves as the phone book for the Internet by translating human-friendly computer hostnames into IP addresses, but unlike a phonebook, it can be quickly updated.
DNS keeps you connected to your customers
Every first user interaction with a website starts with a DNS, but if it goes down, the site can’t be accessed. With a menaged DNS solution, the probability of a total network outage is decreased because DNS providers build their networks 100% reliable. Having an “indie” DNS provider, as opposed to a combined professional CDN/DNS provider is a smarter bet because if your combined providers’ network goes down you lose both ways. A combined DNS/CDN solution ensures the maximum performance of the website, quickly delivering the content to ensure the highest user experience possible, giving the flexibility when it comes to updating the website.
Pairing a CDN with DNS allows you to:
- Swap to new CDN
- Add additional CDN’s
- Load balance between Endpoints
- Negotiate with cometing providers
Every user’s first interaction with a website begins with a DNS query. When a user lands on a page, dozens of distinct DNS queries are issued to identify the correct source for all content. DNS resolution can account for as much as 29% of initial page load time. Poor DNS means slow page loads, leading to dissatisfied users and ultimatively the loss of business. You can basically distribute traffic across multiple CDNs and endpoints to optimize the performance of your website, ensuring your content is always available, even if a CDN is down.
These are the key advantages of a paired DNS/CDN solution:
- Performance – the distribution of traffic across multiple CDN’s and endpoints optimizes the performance and levels CDN outages.
- Reliability – even if a CDN goes down the provider’s network often supports CDN’s with automated failover, giving the content availability at all time.
- Availability – independent DNS service lets you pick CDN providers based on geography, price, features and such. There’s always the option of swapping CDN providers without disrupting the service.
Most CDN providers implement and manage their own DNS infrastructure. Some CDN providers have productized their internal DNS networks to supplement their core service revenues, but a CDN provider can’t match the flexibility, performance, and scalability of an independent service provider that focuses on DNS. The perfect complement to a CDN, managed DNS solutions are specifically designed to extend website performance and reliability. Managed DNS services are ideal for companies and brands of all sizes. They offer global footprints and use advanced load balancing and routing techniques to minimize latency, maximize availability, and minimize costs. DNS is the first part of the look up process. It is essentially what separates online brands from their consumers. If your DNS fails then your brand may as well not exist. Latency or Resolution Time has been a widely acknowledged consideration for e-retailers focused on end-user experience.
According to a study done by Amazon and Google, you suffer a 7% decrease in sales if your website doesn’t load in under 3 second.
As your business grows, your DNS follows your steps. Managed DNS allows you to add services and features and it’s simple to update. Managed DNS services can help you boost revenues, reduce website abandonment, and improve customer satisfaction by quickly connecting users to the resources they need. A good first impression starts with DNS.
Internet Performance solutions are responsible for the delivery of a brand’s content and end-user experience. Understanding customer demographics is key to positive user experience and good business. The advantages of pairing CDN with DNS are virtually infinite.
These are some additional features that a paired DNS/CDN solution provides: disaster preparedness (outsourcing DNS is part of a sound disaster prevention strategy), security, DNS Reporting and API Integration.
If you want to pair your existing infrastructure with professional managed DNS solution, contact us today.
