DNS Service is an integral component of any IT infrastructure connected to a network. Here is an overview of Designate, OpenStack's DNSaaS component.
DNS as a Service (DNSaaS) is a topic that pops up quite frequently, with many companies outsourcing their IT infrastructure to cloud providers and such. Designate is the DNSaaS component for OpenStack-based clouds, and here is a basic overview of the service. First, let us start by explaining what DNS means.
What is a DNS Service?
DNS, short for Domain Name System, is a ranked and distributed naming system for computers and similar resources connected to the internet or private networks. The DNS system has been around since 1985 and is still a major component of the way the internet works. DNS associates different information with assigned domain names and translates them to IP addresses for easier location across networks.
To say it in more simple terms, there are three elements you need to make up a website -
Registered domain name . for example, www.vexxhost.com.
DNS . configuration file for your domain.
Web host . manages all the files that constitute the website.
DNS simplifies the communication between computers and servers through a network and provides a friendly method for users to interact with and get the desired information.
Now that we have a basic idea of what DNS is let us move on to OpenStack's DNS Service, Designate.
OpenStack Designate as a DNS Service
Designate is an open source project providing DNS as a Service and comes under the umbrella of OpenStack services. Like every other OpenStack service, it has a standard RESTful API and allows multi-tenancy.
For Designate, this API helps in record and domain management. The DNS can be configured to create records based on VMs and network triggers automatically. The service also boasts an integrated identity authentication with OpenStack Keystone. Here is a look at the various advantages of Designate as a DNS Service.
Advantages of OpenStack Designate
OpenStack Designate is a fully managed DNS service that helps in automating the mapping and management of IP addresses to domains. With Open APIs, it provides a simplified management structure and, as mentioned before, automatically generates DNS records for servers. It is also beneficial in maintaining consistent registration records for the servers. Users often employ the same DNS backend within projects without collision issues.
Furthermore, seamless integration with other OpenStack projects is another advantage of Designate. The prior mentioned ease of integration with Keystone identity service provides increased security. Its integration with Nova and Neutron notifications is helpful in the auto-generation of records. Designate also allows for a multi-tenant atmosphere, hosting different projects with ease and keeping the resources secure and ready to use.
VEXXHOST Cloud with DNS Service
At VEXXHOST, we offer DNS Service using Designate to our customers in creating their OpenStack-based cloud environments. Various OpenStack services such as Designate are deployed according to specific use cases. They are also often customized in our cloud solutions, such as the case with our highly scalable private cloud offerings.
Speaking of private clouds, you can now run on a fully agile and customized cloud from VEXXHOST, with no licensing fees and smooth 2-week migration. In fact, we're ready to put our money where our mouth is. We're so confident in being able to save you at least 20% or more on your current cloud infrastructure expenditure that if proven wrong- we'll give you $1,000 credit to our public cloud.
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