What Is Managed DNS? How Managed DNS Powers the Internet's Hidden Engine

What Is Managed Dns

Several years ago, I was working as a website designer for a mid-sized golf software company. It fell on the design team to not only create websites for golf courses but also configure DNS (Domain Name System) settings.

Unfortunately, many of us designers hardly knew what we were doing with the DNS. For client migrations, we updated DNS records with a new provider. We completed most migrations with live websites. Shortly after these changes, however, we began receiving calls from clients.

Panic set in. No one could access the client’s websites. Something went wrong with the DNS modifications, and we had mistakenly made changes on live websites. Eventually, we found that we failed to enter the right CNAME records. That sent site visitors to old servers. Realizing our team lacked the experience to handle and troubleshoot DNS issues, we made the switch to a managed DNS provider.

Managed DNS is a paid service where, instead of the DNS owner, a third-party company takes care of DNS configuration, optimization, and maintenance.

Managed DNS services ensure all IP addresses get translated reliably. As a result, everyone can visit their intended website. Managed DNS isn’t for everyone, but it can bring efficiency in DNS management to many businesses. In this article, I explore everything from the basics of managed DNS to the key players in the market.

The Basics of Managed DNS

When I discuss managed DNS services, I find it useful to focus on the DNS resolution process first. That way, you’ll understand a bit about what DNS actually is. Then, I’ll dive into the role of a managed DNS provider that eventually handles most of the heavy lifting for you.

The DNS Resolution Process

Even with managed DNS, it pays to know about the DNS resolution process. That way, you at least know the basics of what your managed DNS provider is doing.

The DNS Overview infographic

Here’s what you should know about the DNS resolution process:

  1. There’s a user query sent to a DNS server. The query looks to translate a domain name (typed in by the user) into an IP address for the server to understand.
  2. The first server (called a recursive DNS server) sees if it has the answer to the query in its saved cache.
  3. If there’s nothing in the cache, the server queries authoritative DNS servers. It begins with what’s called the root server, then the TLD (top-level domain) server, then the domain’s authoritative server.
  4. The authoritative server provides the final result: the right IP address for the server to deliver the website’s content back to the client browser.

Throughout this entire process, there are DNS records that guide servers to the right website’s information:

  • A record: For mapping a domain name to its specific IP address.
  • CNAME records: Send alias domains to primary domains.
  • MX records: Send email messages to the right mail servers.
  • TXT records: Contain text data in case verification is needed.

Those DNS records get stored on authoritative servers. Once hired, the managed DNS provider implements those records. You can usually modify DNS records from the dashboard of your domain name registrar or hosting company.

The Role of a Managed DNS Provider

In my opinion, the true role of a managed DNS provider is to minimize mistakes that may occur while managing DNS settings. However, it could also come in handy if you’d rather make for a more efficient DNS management process. Sometimes you’re better off focusing on your business’s day-to-day as opposed to the technical aspects of DNS management.

Key reasons why businesses use managed DNS over self-hosted DNS:

  • Performance: Faster DNS resolution thanks to globally distributed networks.
  • Security: Protection against DNS-based attacks.
  • Redundancy: Enhanced reliability through DNS failover and load balancing.

As you can see, the key reasons explore even more than the simpler reasons of minimizing your own mistakes with DNS and clearing out room to focus on your business. Managed DNS providers offer performance, security, and redundancy beyond what many self-managed DNS setups have.

Key Features of Managed DNS Services

When I work on my own DNS settings, I hardly come close to the features you get with a managed DNS service. Are you equipped to handle DNS failover and real-time updates? Are you well-versed in implementing DNS load balancing? If not, these features from a managed DNS may just appeal to you.

Global Anycast Network

The best DNS management services offer a Global Anycast Network. Anycast routing, put simply, uses multiple DNS servers, all of which share the exact same IP address. As a result, the DNS is able to route traffic to the nearest, fastest server, instead of relying on one server.

For your website, an Anycast network results in minimized latency and improved DNS resolution speed. That’s the case globally. If someone accesses your site in Europe or the US or Asia, they should all see a boost in DNS resolution speed.

DNS Load Balancing

DNS load balancing involves spreading traffic across several servers or data centers to distribute the load instead of forcing it all on one server. Reputable managed DNS services almost always offer a load-balancing service.

Load balancing diagram
Load balancers spread traffic across multiple servers, giving you better performance and reliability.

You, therefore, can rest easy knowing that there’s a lower potential for server overload. I’ve also found that DNS load balancing helps with application performance.

DNS Failover

DNS failover works to prevent downtime. It does this by sending your traffic to a backup server should the main server fail at any point. With managed DNS, you get continuous server monitoring. If the monitoring system detects poor health from your primary server, it modifies the DNS settings automatically to that backup server.

I like DNS failover for websites and applications that demand constant uptime. This includes SaaS applications, eCommerce websites, and just about any business website that requires continual uptime for web services.

Real-Time Updates

If you’re like me, you know how frustrating it can be to update your DNS settings only to have to wait for propagation to take place. With managed DNS, however, most DNS changes happen immediately, in real-time.

The goal here is to achieve maximum uptime and improve customer satisfaction instead of waiting for a DNS change that leaves your site in an older state. So, if you change your IP address or something similar, you shouldn’t have to worry about downtime.

DNS Security

DNS security serves as an essential feature of any managed DNS service. To make the most of your managed DNS service, there are a couple of DNS security features I suggest you look for.

Key security features of managed DNS services:

  • DNSSEC (DNS Security Extensions): Encrypting DNS responses to prevent spoofing or man-in-the-middle attacks.
  • DDoS Protection: Managed DNS services provide defense against Distributed Denial-of-Service attacks, ensuring resilience under high traffic or malicious activity.

Other DNS security features I like to see include IP whitelisting/blacklisting (which prevents malicious IP addresses), real-time DNS monitoring, and rate limiting (a control that prevents attacks with too many queries). It’s also smart to implement two-factor authentication for stronger security during the login process.

API Access

Over the years, I’ve slowly learned about the power of the API access feature that often comes with managed DNS services. API access allows for automated control over everything from DNS configurations to its records. This way, developers can create deep integrations between DNS management and other applications.

For instance, I might want to have something like dynamic updates to change DNS records via programming. That’s only possible via API access. In fact, any type of customization like this requires API access. With that access, you improve the potential for increased efficiency while decreasing manual errors that often arise with DNS management.

Traffic Analytics and Monitoring

Ideally, your managed DNS provider offers a robust suite of traffic analytics and monitoring tools. The goal is to receive reports for everything from query patterns to potential security threats. I also like to see reports on DNS traffic and routing optimization.

The beauty of traffic analytics with DNS management is its potential for every business to use it as they see fit. My business may be able to improve performance with my traffic analytics. Yours, on the other hand, may focus on routing optimization or enhanced security.

Benefits of Managed DNS

With the features in mind, you probably have an idea of some benefits that come along with managed DNS. I’ll expand on those benefits to help you understand just how much a managed DNS service can assist with things like performance, scalability, and uptime.

Improved Reliability and Uptime

To increase the availability of your application or website, it helps to have multiple DNS servers backing up the main one.

Improved Reliability and Uptime illustration

That’s redundancy, and with managed DNS, you receive a network of DNS servers across the globe to increase redundancy.

Along with that, I find it important to opt for managed DNS services with uptime guarantees of at least 99.99%.

You can find these guarantees in Service Level Agreements from the providers.

Performance Enhancements

A managed DNS reduces latency in DNS resolution. As I’ve explained earlier in this article, latency simply refers to a time delay between user actions and any responses from a system. As a hosting expert, I consider a reduction of latency one of the most important parts of improving website loading time and user experience.

You’ll also find that managed DNS services put a strong focus on geographically distributed points of presence (PoPs). This network of global computers results in incredibly fast DNS queries. That’s because it uses the closest geographical server for each query.

Scalability

Unlike my experience with self-hosted DNS configurations, managed DNS services have the ability to scale almost instantly.

Scalability illustration

They accommodate traffic spikes during special periods and even when something bad happens, like during DDoS attacks. Either way, it helps keep your website up during these times.

Here’s a perfect example for you: Just about every reputable eCommerce website has a peak shopping season, often during the winter holidays.

With a managed DNS, the DNS servers scale in real time to support the influx in traffic.

Ease of Management

Similar to managed hosting, a managed DNS setup simplifies various technical processes for businesses of all sizes. With managed DNS, you get a user-friendly dashboard and centralized control of your DNS records.

I’ve also found that the best-managed DNS services teach you how to use these dashboards — even if they’ll handle most of the configuration anyway. With the right training and a helping hand from your provider, you’re able to manage multiple domains and subdomains from the convenience of a single interface.

Enhanced Security

In my experience, DNS providers do a wonderful job with comprehensive security measures like:

  • DNSSEC: Domain Name System Security Extensions function as a combination of protocols to protect both the authenticity and integrity of your DNS data. It does this by using cryptographic signatures for verification.
  • DDoS mitigation: Monitoring and prevention tools for stopping distributed denial-of-service attacks where someone attacks your site with a blast of unwelcome visitors in an attempt to overload the server.
  • Advanced firewall configurations: Firewalls enhance security with methods like IP whitelisting/blacklisting, protocol enforcement, and geo-blocking (restricting DNS queries from specific areas in the world).

With these elements, you’re able to safeguard online assets. And most providers automate much of the security process for you.

Managed DNS vs. Self-Hosted DNS

Here’s the big question: Should you opt for managed DNS or self-hosted DNS? My decisions for DNS management often revolve around performance and reliability, but you may need to look at other categories as well.

FeatureManaged DNSSelf-Hosted DNS
Performance and speedTop-notch performance thanks to things like lower latency and a global network. Performance is variable based on the organization’s own network infrastructure.
Reliability and redundancyHigh levels of redundancy and reliability thanks to failover elements and global data centers. Can match the redundancy of managed DNS, but it requires significant infrastructure investments.
Scalability and flexibilityHandles scaling with ease, allowing for quick changes based on traffic. May require considerable upgrades to accommodate for growth.
Cost considerationsRegular subscription fees, but it minimizes costs for in-house maintenance and personnel. Lower initial costs, but you must invest in personnel, software, and hardware.
Security and threat mitigationExcellent security features like automated monitoring, DDoS mitigation, and DNSSEC. Security is dependent on what your organization implements.

As you can see, it’s very possible to make a self-hosted DNS setup as safe, high-performance, and scalable as a managed DNS solution. I, however, have trouble arguing for it considering all of those are highly dependent on your hardware, software, personnel, and the amount of money you’re willing to spend. It’s much easier to just pay a subscription for a managed DNS service.

Key Players in the Managed DNS Market

You have hundreds, if not thousands, of DNS providers to choose from. The key players, however, offer unmatched affordability, performance, and scalability.

Top Managed DNS Providers

Here’s my overview of the leading managed DNS providers for you to choose from:

  • Cloudflare: Known for its Anycast network and integrated DDoS protection.
  • AWS Route 53: Amazon’s highly scalable DNS service with seamless cloud integration.
  • Google Cloud DNS: Fast, reliable, and cost-efficient DNS service from Google Cloud.
  • Dyn: Acquired by Oracle, provides enterprise-grade DNS services with advanced features like traffic steering.
  • NS1: Offers DNS load balancing and automation with a focus on performance and resilience.

Price-wise, it all depends on your needs. I like to recommend Cloudflare since you can start with its free plan and then upgrade from there. The premium plans start at $20 per month. Other providers like NS1 offer a more customized approach to pricing where the final cost depends on the number of DNS queries per month, DNS records, and monitors.

Managed DNS Use Cases

I’ve touched on the basics of managed DNS services and helped you understand the pros and cons of managed versus self-hosted DNS. Now I want to help you make that final decision by looking at the ideal use cases for managed DNS.

eCommerce Websites

Just about any eCommerce website could benefit from a managed DNS service. If anything, I recommend it for the flexibility required during seasonal changes in traffic.

A managed DNS also helps improve load times and uptime, particularly during those times when you can expect customers to flock to your site for holiday deals or product launches.

Load balancing and failover also come into play for eCommerce businesses. Both of these help minimize the amount of stress put on one DNS server. Traffic gets distributed across multiple servers with load balancing, and other servers jump in to help with the failover feature.

Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)

I like to say that a CDN (Content Delivery Network) is the first step you should take when looking for increased performance on a media-heavy website. It’s a beautiful way to deliver your content through a large network of global servers (putting your content geographically closer to the end user). But I also recommend pairing that CDN with a managed DNS service.

With a CDN and managed DNS, you can boost:

  • Content delivery speed
  • Reliability
  • User experience

In short, the DNS plays a significant role in routing users to the nearest CDN edge server. You already have the network with a CDN. A managed DNS simply makes the CDN more efficient.

Global Enterprises

A global enterprise relies on offices situated in multiple countries. It also supports millions of users spread across the globe. Naturally, this type of large business would benefit from the global performance optimization that comes with a managed DNS.

SaaS Applications

I’m of the belief that a managed DNS’s primary role for some organizations is to simply minimize downtime. That’s particularly true for SaaS (software-as-a-service) applications (think Shopify, Salesforce, and Adobe Creative Cloud).

Downtime is detrimental to SaaS businesses. Users demand constant uptime. A managed DNS, therefore, ensures that users experience minimal downtime and fast access to application servers.

Disaster Recovery Solutions

A managed DNS can play a crucial role in disaster recovery for a wide range of websites and applications. It’s nice knowing that I have a backup for my website, but there’s actually more to the equation.

Managed DNS delivers rapid failover and recovery during outages, which should theoretically decrease the amount of downtime you experience.

Managed DNS Best Practices

To achieve the best-managed DNS setup for your business, I encourage you to follow this set of best practices. This way, you choose the right provider and follow essential tips like implementing monitoring tactics.

Choosing the Right Provider

Here’s what to consider when trying to choose the right managed DNS provider:

  • Global reach: Does the DNS network reach where your customers reside?
  • Security features: Can the DNS management service protect you from DDoS attacks and other threats?
  • Ease of management: Are you able to go into the dashboard and manage elements like your DNS records?
  • SLA commitments: Can the provider commit to a specific level of service? How’s the uptime?

With those questions in mind, you’re ready to select a managed DNS provider. If you’re still unsure, there are other questions you can ask, though. I, for instance, would also ask about (and test) customer support.

Implementing Redundancy

Ideally, you opt for multiple DNS providers to spread out the risk and improve redundancy. Here are some best practices to achieve that:

  • Regular monitoring and testing: Do they conduct failover tests and monitor regularly to make sure the redundancy techniques work well?
  • Consistency in the configuration: You want to ensure that all of your DNS records get configured consistently across all providers. There should be syncing involved, too.
  • Diversity in infrastructures: Ideally, you pick multiple providers with diversity in their infrastructures. Look for different geographical server locations and spread-out infrastructures that don’t all rely on one point of failure.

Essentially, the goal is to prevent issues you may encounter with one provider. If one fails, you should have another managed DNS provider pick up the slack.

Optimizing DNS Records

I can’t stress the importance of optimizing your DNS records enough. Here’s how to do that:

  • Optimize your record types: Consider using more A and AAAA records in place of duplicate CNAME records. This can help improve performance.
  • Use DNS caching: This reduces server load and latency. Make sure caching is active on both recursive DNS servers and client-side servers.
  • Set the right TTL values: Make your TTL (Time to Live) values suitable for how often you change DNS records. Shorter TTLs work for records that change frequently. For static records, use longer TTL values.

With these types of optimizations, you speed up DNS requests and improve performance. Make sure your managed DNS providers implement these optimization tips.

Monitoring and Analytics

It should come as no surprise that I’m recommending regular monitoring of DNS traffic. How else would you know when bottlenecks or security issues arise? Make it a point to activate and regularly check your analytics and monitoring reports. Ideally, your DNS provider sends automated reports to you.

Challenges and Considerations

I’d never leave you without discussing challenges. I am talking about DNS management, after all. It’s never as simple as just saying everything should work wonderfully. From cost to latency and vendor lock-in to compliance, I’ll explain all the challenges to expect.

Cost

There’s no doubt that DNS services cost more than self-hosted DNS solutions. This can be a dealbreaker for those with limited budgets.

The idea, however, is to balance cost with your need for performance, security, and reliability. With the right balance, you’ll find that the overall cost of a managed DNS service should pay for itself.

Latency

The idea of a managed DNS service is to reduce latency, right? Well, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news because, in some instances, it could actually cause latency issues.

It’s uncommon, but a geographically distributed collection of DNS servers makes for a rather spread-out network. As such, latency could occur thanks to that distance between servers.

Vendor Lock-In

As long as you choose a reputable provider, I’m of the belief that you can’t really go wrong with a managed DNS service. However, there is still the risk of vendor lock-in. Similar to feeling stuck in the Amazon, Apple, or Microsoft ecosystems, vendor lock-in intentionally prevents you from moving elsewhere.

There’s the same potential for lock-in with companies like Cloudflare DNS, Dyn Managed DNS, and Google Cloud DNS.

To prevent dependency on one provider, make sure you can export your DNS records to other platforms.

I also suggest making regular backups, evaluating the contracts you make, and checking to see if the configurations are standardized.

Compliance and Data Privacy

Considering managed DNS providers route traffic across multiple jurisdictions, there are significant challenges in the realm of compliance and data privacy.

  • Data breach risks: It’s not uncommon for centralized DNS services to end up as targets for cybercriminals.
  • GDPR compliance: You must maintain strict data compliance inside the EU.
  • Data sovereignty: Not all countries are the same when it comes to data transfer and storage. Some laws vary, so your managed DNS provider must abide by them all.

Your organization needs to remain aware of these data privacy and compliance challenges. I’m of the belief that simply staying up to date on the regulations and legal requirements is the best route to safeguarding your data and staying compliant.

Moving Forward With a Managed DNS

I encourage you to consider a managed DNS service. Dozens of them are out there, so use the information I provided to complete diligent research before committing to an option. With managed DNS you have the potential for superior DNS scalability, performance, and uptime.

With some luck, you’ll find a managed DNS provider with customer support that keeps you updated on what you need to know, too.