The Top 7 Managed DNS Providers Software

The top Managed DNS provider software, offering DNS management services that ensure the availability and performance of websites and applications by optimizing domain resolution.

Last updated on Jun 24, 2024

Written by Craig MacAlpine

The Top 7 Managed DNS Providers Software:

1. Akamai Edge DNS
2. Amazon Route 53
3. Microsoft Azure DNS
4. Cloudflare DNS
5. Digicert Constellix DNS
6. Google Cloud DNS
7. IBM NS1

Managed Domain Name System (DNS) providers offer efficient and reliable DNS management services for businesses and organizations. DNS is a critical component of internet infrastructure, playing a crucial role in identifying domain names and IP addresses as well as directing users to websites and applications. Managed DNS providers not only ensure proper DNS configurations for domains, but also provide additional tools, robust scalability, high availability, and security features to enhance the performance and reliability of DNS.

Selecting the right managed DNS provider can boost the uptime, load times, and responsiveness of your websites and web applications. There are numerous DNS providers on the market, each offering a wide array of services and features tailored to cater to different needs. To help you make an informed decision in selecting the best managed DNS provider for your organization, we have compiled a list of the top Managed DNS providers. We have considered factors such as cost, functionality, availability, scalability, and ease of use.

This guide will explore the top Managed DNS providers, delving into the specifics of their features and services, such as infrastructure, cost, security, API availability, user-interface, and performance metrics. We will take into account technical aspects of these providers, as well as customer feedback and ratings.

Akamai Edge DNS

Akamai Technologies is a US-based company specializing in content delivery network, cybersecurity, and cloud services including web and internet security. Their product, Edge DNS, offers clients nonstop availability for web applications and APIs, guaranteeing 100% uptime with its resilient infrastructure and mission-critical DNS.

Edge DNS allows users to manage expenses more easily through predictable, zone-based billing, avoiding unexpected charges caused by high DNS usage. The product also provides enhanced DNS availability with secondary DNS, using internet-facing secondary zones. Additionally, Edge DNS employs Global IP Anycast, enabling the use of logical nameservers on multiple physical servers deployed worldwide. Security-focused features of Edge DNS include protection against attackers exploiting vulnerabilities in BIND software, prevention of attacks caused by DNS forgery with Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC), and a trust-based model that prevents IP address spoofing attacks by serving content only to a list of trusted nameservers.

To further manage DNS resources, Edge DNS allows developers to automate processes through APIs and existing management tools and leverages a unique architecture that segments DNS resources across non-overlapping clouds.

Amazon Route 53

Amazon Route 53 is a highly available, scalable Domain Name System (DNS) web service that performs domain registration, DNS routing, and health checking. This DNS web service is designed to reliably route end users to websites by utilizing globally-dispersed DNS servers and automatic scaling capabilities.

Users can quickly set up their DNS routing with domain name registration and straightforward visual traffic flow tools. Amazon Route 53 offers customizable DNS routing policies aimed at reducing latency, improving application availability, and maintaining compliance. It efficiently connects user requests to internet applications running on AWS or on-premises servers. In addition to its global DNS features, Amazon Route 53 allows users to create, visualize, and scale complex routing relationships between records and policies. Users can configure routing policies to automatically respond in case of failure, such as redirecting traffic to alternative availability zones or regions.

Amazon Route 53 enables private DNS by assigning and accessing custom domain names in Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), allowing the use of internal AWS resources and servers without exposing DNS data to the public internet.

Microsoft Azure DNS

Azure DNS is a Domain Name System hosting service provided by Microsoft that allows businesses to manage their DNS records in a secure and efficient manner. Azure DNS supports all common DNS record types, making it an ideal solution for businesses seeking seamless domain management.

Azure DNS has a global network of name servers, providing faster responses to DNS queries through Anycast networking. This ensures optimal performance and ultra-high availability for domains hosted on Azure DNS. Additionally, Azure offers DNS Private Zones, a reliable and secure DNS service designed for managing and resolving names within virtual networks. This service allows businesses to use their own domain names and achieve seamless name resolution for virtual machines across different networks. Furthermore, Azure DNS Private Resolver is a highly available, cloud-native, and DevOps-friendly service that resolves and conditionally forwards DNS queries to on-premises DNS servers and other target servers.

Azure DNS pricing is transparent, with no upfront costs or termination fees, making it a cost-effective solution for businesses seeking advanced domain management services.

Cloudflare DNS

Cloudflare DNS is an enterprise-grade, authoritative DNS service that boasts fast response time, exceptional redundancy, and advanced security features. The service operates on a global Anycast network, enabling DNS resolution at the edge of the network across more than 310 cities worldwide.

Cloudflare DNS delivers an average lookup speed of 11ms and worldwide DNS propagation in under five seconds. The platform can be conveniently managed through a user-friendly interface or an API, regardless of hosting location. With Cloudflare Managed DNS, users can access unlimited and unmetered mitigation against DNS-based DDoS attacks. The service’s network capacity is 23 times larger than the biggest recorded DDoS attack. In addition to built-in DNSSEC that protects against on-path attacks, Cloudflare Managed DNS allows users to generate real-time analytics and reports regarding their DNS traffic health.

The dashboard permits detailed reporting, with raw log files also accessible via API for integration with SIEM/parsing tools. An easy-to-use Email Security DNS Wizard is included to prevent malicious actors from sending fraudulent emails on behalf of your domain, ensuring your email configuration remains secure.

Digicert Constellix DNS

Constellix is a managed DNS service that offers advanced network optimization tools for administrators and DevOps professionals. It combines built-in network monitoring, health checks, performance monitoring, and query analytics to effectively optimize traffic flow to cloud services, data centers, and CDN services.

Constellix utilizes machine learning and real-time data to enhance its capabilities. The platform allows users to create unique routing logic based on resource availability, latency, or location, as well as end-user information such as location and network. This enables intelligent traffic steering and regional traffic management. Constellix accommodates various DNS zone levels, including top-level, second-level, and lower-level subdomains. Zone files are stored on DNS name servers, which are used by authoritative name servers to perform DNS lookups for domains. Primary and secondary DNS solutions are available through Constellix, and its development is grounded in over 15 years of feature requests and domain-specific innovations, including user permissions and version control.

DNS records serve as instructions for domains and hostnames stored on DNS servers in zone files, aiding DNS servers in directing queries accurately and efficiently.

Google Cloud DNS

Google Cloud DNS is a domain name system (DNS) service designed to offer reliable, resilient, and low-latency DNS services using Google’s extensive global network. With Google Cloud DNS, users can have dependable, low-latency access from any location, as the anycast name servers automatically scale to accommodate query volume.

This service provides end-to-end domain management through Cloud Domains; this enables the registration, management, and automatic setup of DNS zones for your domains. Key features of Google Cloud DNS include authoritative DNS lookup, which translates domain name requests into their corresponding IP addresses, and domain registration and management through Cloud Domains. These features provide seamless integration with Cloud DNS and ensure optimal performance for users worldwide. As a simple and cost-effective alternative to hosting private DNS servers or using other third-party services, Google Cloud DNS is an appealing choice for efficient DNS management.

This solution is ideal for businesses seeking high-quality, large-scale authoritative DNS serving and fast anycast name servers for better availability and reduced latency.

IBM NS1

NS1, a subsidiary of IBM, specializes in delivering advanced DNS and traffic steering solutions. These solutions enable enterprises to harness the power of their networks for innovation, building upon the foundational role DNS plays. NS1’s Managed DNS services focus on optimizing performance and boosting resilience throughout its global Anycast Managed DNS network.

NS1’s native redundant DNS, continuous monitoring, and automated failover systems maintain high availability, catering to enterprises’ reliability needs. Additionally, their global network and sophisticated traffic steering technology offers highly customizable options, allowing businesses to meet users’ performance expectations. NS1’s traffic steering capabilities offer an extensive range of features, including Global Server Load Balancing (GSLB). With a resilient network of 26 Anycasted points of presence, NS1 provides rapid connections for users worldwide and ensures DNS updates are mirrored globally within seconds. Their platform also features native health check alerts to quickly identify issues, automatically adjusting DNS traffic steering configurations as needed.

Moreover, NS1 supports standard Single Sign-On (SSO) platforms, two-factor authentication, audit logs, and role-based access control, ensuring security and efficient customer support. This not only streamlines DNS configurations but also allows IT professionals to focus on more important tasks.

Everything You Need To Know About Managed DNS Providers (FAQs)

What Are Managed DNS Providers?

Managed DNS provider software is a type of DNS service that specialized companies offer to support organizations in their efforts to manage and optimize their DNS infrastructure. Domain name servers (or DNS) are a bit like a phone book, one that contains all the public domains and their corresponding IP addresses.

DNS is a vital component of the internet as it works to translate human-readable domain names into IP addresses that can be understood by computers and servers, and used to locate websites and online services that individuals wish to search for. Managed DNS provider software exists to improve the security, performance, and reliability of an organizations DNS, and provides a variety of features to achieve this goal.

What Are The Benefits Of Using Managed DNS Provider Software?

Using Managed DNS provider software providers users with a range of benefits, the most persuasive of which include the following:

It can help organizations to boost their performance and improve reliability. Typically, a managed DNS provider will operate across a strategically located network of DNS servers with Anycast support, all around the globe. The architecture leads to a reduction in latency and helps to resolve DNS queries quickly, so that users can enjoy faster website loading times and see a boost in application performance no matter their location. In addition to this, these tools can help with better distributing traffic and minimizing the risk of downtime as a result of failures in the networks or server.
It can enhance overall security. Since managed DNS provider software adds a layer of security via DNSSEC supports, which allows for DNS data to be digitally signed, it enhanced protection against attacks like DNS spoofing and other DNS-based attacks. This helps to minimize the risk of disruptions.
It simplifies management and improves flexibility. With managed DNS provider software in place, organizations have a way of streamlining and simplifying the management of their DNS records and settings. Their user-friendly interfaces and automation options also make it easier to configure, update, and optimize DNS settings, meaning they can more flexibly adapt to the changing needs of the organization.

What Features Should You Look For In Managed DNS Providers?

Depending on their specific needs, different organizations may have different requirements for their managed DNS provider software. However, some core features to look out for include the following:

Global network and Anycast support. To ensure all DNS enquiries are answered by the nearest server, reduce latency, and boost overall performance, it is important to ensure any managed DNS provider software you consider has a globally distributed network and Anycast support. This allows users to make use of available DNS servers in all vantage points around the world.
Traffic routing and load balancing. Traffic routing capabilities give organizations the power to optimize the delivery of content and services based on things like server health and geographical locations, while having load balancing features in place. This means that organizations are able to distribute traffic across several servers and data centers to make sure that resource distribution is even and service availability remains high.
DNS Security Extensions. DNSSEC support involves digitally signing DNS data to secure it against DNS spoofing and other potentially malicious activities. This feature can really boost DNS security as it helps to maintain the integrity and authenticity of DNS responses.
DDoS mitigation and security. DDoS mitigation capabilities are highly useful for securing the organizations against DNS-based attacks, while helping to ensure availability of domain resolutions services is not disrupted. Strong security measures are vital for protecting the organizations against threats and vulnerabilities, as well as safeguarding the DNS infrastructure.
APIs and integrations. With APIs and integration options organizations are able to allow for programmatic management of DNS setting and integrate with other applications, services, and network infrastructures. This creates more flexibility for organizations, which can then easily customize their DNS management to ensure it is aligned with their broader IT ecosystem.

Craig MacAlpine

CEO and Founder

Craig MacAlpine is CEO and founder of Expert Insights. Before founding Expert Insights in August 2018, Craig spent 10 years as CEO of EPA cloud, an email security provider acquired by Ziff Davies, formerly J2Global (NASQAQ: ZD) in 2013, which has now been rebranded as VIPRE Email Security. Craig has extensive experience in the email security industry, with 20+ years of experience helping organizations to stay secure with innovative information security and cyber security solutions.