DNS GeoIP backend support

AdamM

Hi
Its possible GeoIP implementation for DNS role?
Currently I have 2 NS servers, one in Europe and the other in the USA.
Unfortunately when I test the traffic is directed randomly, for example, a client from Europe goes to the DNS in the USA and the delay is then 120ms.... This is a lot. Is there any way to improve this?

This backend (which is a.k.a. the YAML backend) allows visitors to be sent to a server closer to them, with no appreciable delay, as would otherwise be incurred with a protocol level redirect. Additionally, the Geo Backend can be used to provide service over several clusters, any of which can be taken out of use easily, for example for maintenance purposes. This backend can utilize EDNS Client Subnet extension for decision making, if provided in query and you have turned on edns-subnet-processing.

https://doc.powerdns.com/authoritative/backends/geoip.html

necrom

We have a similar problem where we just plonked cheap nameserver nodes in UK, USA and India, resulting in customers getting random ns in non-local geographies which can have higher than ideal latency, it also causes non-caching web performance monitoring (ttfb including dns and handshakes) to jump all over the place (hitting the non-local DNS can double the overall page load time/latency).

I was thinking anycast might be something we need to explore to route the traffic locally (rather than GeoIP) and give us greater availability if under attack, I was pleased to see https://community.enhance.com/d/792-use-of-external-anycast-dns-service suggested and accepted as a potential solution to this.

nqnoc

XN-Matt

Or build your own.

Very possible with Enhance as all zones go to all DNS applications, even if that IP is not set in the configuration.

We are doing this and in testing has worked flawlessly.

PDudeP

XN-Matt

Can you please elaborate a bit more?
Thanks

XN-Matt

Outside of the extreme basis of my post.

You'll need an AS number, IP ranges (v4/6) from a RIR (v4 may be more tricky these days).
Either DC space, or servers with a BGP feed, a session and a provider allowing you to advertise the above ranges.
BGP speaking software such as bird.

There's a whole lot more to think about but that would at least get IPs advertised and traffic moving.

Simply though, you will need at least some knowledge of BGP....