DNS GSLBOptimize User to Application Access From the Edge

Digital transformation is modifying the IT landscape by distributing applications, users are becoming more mobile, and data centers evolving towards hybrid cloud topology. To ensure business continuity and meet user experience expectations in this challenging context, it’s important to prioritize availability, performance and latency, particularly in the context of application access.

This is where DNS GSLB comes in. Standard GSLB (Global Server Load Balancing) solutions have helped control routing of application traffic, but as they function only on authoritative DNS servers located within the data center they have flaws: 1) Deployment can be extremely difficult in multi-site environments 2) App response time calculations are inaccurate 3) Latency is increased for DNS resolutions.

To overcome conventional GSLB issues, EfficientIP offers edge GSLB – the world’s first DNS with smart robust GSLB functionality built into recursive servers.

Intelligent Application Traffic Routing

DNS GSLB brings a simple and efficient way to load balance traffic from the network edge, taking into account geographical dispersion and availability of resources. Implementing GSLB in recursive servers brings unique capability for application traffic routing decisions to be taken at the network edge, hence much closer to each user. Many issues related to geo-localization, breakout, and peering are consequently eliminated.

DNS GSLB can be used as an alternative or as a complement to traditional load balancers/application delivery controllers (ADCs), being deployable on authoritative as well as recursive servers for edge GSLB capability.

And by adding EfficientIP IP Address Management (IPAM) functionality, you can manage both your cloud and on premise apps from a central repository, bringing significant time and cost savings.

Solution Benefits

Reduce capex and opex with combined DNS/GSLB functionality on same server
Ensure application availability thanks to constant health checking
Guarantee disaster recovery and business continuity due to automatic cross-site failover
Simplify deployment of multi-region data centers with native geo-localization
Improve user experience by accelerating application response times

GSLB at Edge

1	DNS request for application IP resolution to recursive GSLB server
2	DNS entry not in cache, request to authoritative DNS server (master or slave)
	DNS request for application IP resolution to authoritative GSLB server	1
3	GSLB answers the request with the most suitable application server IP address	2
4	Application data flow to selected server IP address	3

GSLB in Core

Simplify GSLB Deployment

Enabling GSLB with EfficientIP DNS removes the requirement to move domains towards specific load-balancing solution such as Application Delivery Controllers (ADC). All DNS domains and records remain in a single management system easing transition to load-balancing, while at the same time centralizing administration, simplifying deployment and lowering costs.

Guarantee App Availability

By enabling health checking, load balancing strategies are enhanced with the current health of each node supporting the application. Any node failing its health check will be removed from the selection process, thus making sure applications are always available.

Strengthen Network Security

Implementing DNS GSLB strengthens network security as it simplifies architecture by removing the need for separate DNS servers and ADCs (application delivery controllers). Incorporating EfficientIP DNS Security features then adds best protection against DDoS and other DNS attack types, to ensure service continuity, protect against malware and safeguard data.

Enhance User Experience

Standard GSLB solutions often add extra latency as DNS resolution is performed from within the data center. Putting GSLB on a DNS at the edge, hence close to the user, eliminates this extra latency. It also ensures accurate evaluation of application response times, allowing the best suitable server to be selected for each user.
In addition, powerful and flexible load balancing strategies ensure traffic is routed to the best server, improving user experience.

Improve Disaster Recovery

As it can be deployed on remote sites, edge GSLB offers best resiliency and largest coverage of failure detection including data center failure, WAN failure, server failure and GSLB failure.

Disaster recovery and business continuity are guaranteed due to automatic or manual failover. Edge GSLB offers greater deployment simplicity for traffic routing management in multi-regional data center and multi-cloud environments.

Centralize Management of Apps

EfficientIP IPAM (IP Address Management) can be leveraged to provide unified management of IP resources and applications from the same console, bringing significant time savings for network administrators. Having a centralized “app repository” offers cross-platform visibility of your applications, helping ensure error-free configurations which comply to corporate policies.

Key Features

GSLB functionality on recursive servers

Take load balancing decisions at the edge, close to users for improved experience (UX)

Native geolocalization of users

Removes requirement for complex network topology mapping, simplifying deployment

Flexible load balancing algorithms

Caters to Round-Robin (weighted), Best Response Time and Custom strategies

App health-check from user location

Application load-aware across & within DCs to optimize resource usage and best serve users

Unparalleled application availability

Comprehensive failure detection and automatic failover for multi-region disaster recovery (DRP)

Centralized application repository

Holistic visibility and simplified management of apps in multi-cloud environment