Neustar and OpenDNS have announced the implementation of a Neustar-sponsored initiative that will provide real-time updating of the Domain Name System (DNS) across the internet, utilising Neustar databases to form the DNS Real-time Directory.
Neustar said that the DNS Real-time Directory provides a centralised cloud-based system that allows customers and participating providers to publish DNS modifications in real time to participating ISPs and recursive service providers.
The companies said that the enterprises and domain owners who maintain the authoritative DNS records are constrained by a waiting period known as DNS Time to Live (TTL) before the recursive DNS records cached within the ISPs’ infrastructures are updated.
According to Neustar, the DNS Real-time Directory makes disaster recovery easier by facilitating instant updates to DNS entries and IP addressing in the wake of an outage. It speeds up the time it normally takes to acknowledge updates to the internet’s infrastructure.
In addition, Neustar said that it will create software clients that integrate with recursive DNS server software including ISC BIND, Unbound and PowerDNS. The Neustar software clients will be released under an open source license.
Sean Leach, senior director of technology at Neustar, said: For decades, thed internet community has known that while DNS caching provides enhanced network performance and stability, it also introduces complexities and vulnerabilities into the Domain Name System. With Neustar’s DNS Real-time Directory, DNS changes and corrections can be propagated immediately throughout the internet using a centralised, cloud-based directory infrastructure for the first time ever.
