EfficientIP, a provider of network security and automation solutions specializing in DDI (DNS-DHCP-IPAM), has released an edge DNS GSLB (Global Server Load Balancing) offering. With enterprises moving to multi-cloud environments, data centers becoming distributed and security risks increasing, DNS GSLB helps enhance user experience while strengthening resiliency (DRP) and reducing costs by simplifying architectures.
The solution integrates load balancing functionality into both authoritative and recursive DNS servers, allowing application traffic routing decisions to be taken from the network edge. It can be used as an alternative or as a complement to traditional load balancers/application delivery controllers (ADCs). By adding global server load balancing to its SOLIDsever product suite, EfficientIP brings an all-in-one solution comprising DNS services, GSLB functions and purpose-built DNS security in the same appliance.
GSLB is a method of distributing traffic amongst servers potentially dispersed across multiple geographies. Combining DNS and GSLB functionality on the same server significantly reduces capex and opex for companies, simplifying rollout throughout company infrastructure. Enabling GSLB with EfficientIP DNS removes the requirement to move DNS domains towards specific load-balancing solutions such as ADCs. All DNS zones and records remain in a single management system easing transition to load-balancing, while at the same time centralizing administration and lowering costs.
Standard GSLB is based on authoritative DNS services deployed within data centers. Implementing GSLB in recursive DNS servers adds a unique capability for application traffic routing decisions to be made much closer to each user, enabling native geolocalization. This helps accelerate app response times which leads to improved user experience (UX), particularly with distributed topology in the context of multiple user sites. And to ensure that applications are available to users, DNS GSLB includes a constant health checking functionality. Load balancing strategies are consequently enhanced as they can be based on the current health of each node supporting the application.
The fact that edge GSLB can be deployed on remote sites significantly strengthens resiliency and extends the coverage of failure detection to include datacenter, WAN, server and GSLB failure. Disaster recovery and business continuity are guaranteed due to automatic or manual failover capability.
In today’s multi-regional datacenter and multi-cloud environments, edge GSLB brings deployment simplicity for application traffic routing management. And by adding IP Address Management (IPAM) functionality, businesses can manage both their cloud and on-premise apps from a central repository, bringing them significant time and cost savings.
“Although digital transformation brings the benefits of efficiency and flexibility, the implications of disruption to the Internet ecosystem are grave,” said Nick Itta, Vice President of Sales APAC, EfficientIP.
He added, “With the Asia Pacific expected to become the biggest market for connected devices by 2020, internet application traffic routing must be simple, secure, and intelligent to ensure enterprises are well-equipped to handle any future challenges that might come unexpectedly. EfficientIP is helping businesses to overcome these issues by moving load balancing to the network edge with our world’s first edge DNS GSLB built into the industry’s most advanced DNS security appliance.”
EfficientIP CEO David Williamson commented: “Digital transformation is modifying IT landscapes by distributing applications, users are becoming more mobile, and datacenters evolving towards the hybrid cloud. To ensure business continuity and meet UX expectations in this challenging context, availability, performance, and delays for application access are key. GSLB helps control routing of application traffic, but businesses still face challenges around multi-site deployment, app response time accuracy, and DNS resolution latency. EfficientIP is proud to help overcome these issues by moving load balancing to the network edge with our world’s first edge DNS GSLB built into the industry’s most advanced DNS security appliance.”
The DNS GSLB product is available on EfficientIP SOLIDserver Release 7.1.
