Although the GSS can be configured to be authoritative for an entire domain, e.g. cisco​.com (option 1), the GSS is designed to be integrated into an existing traditional BIND-based or any DNS system. The GSS operates as an A-record DNS server for Hosted Domains (HD) for which it has been delegated authority from a higher-level name server, which generally would be a name server (NS) controlled by an Enterprise or ISP. In addition to A-record support, the GSS is able to proxy for other query types using NS Forwarding and a back-end name server such as BIND.

The Global Site Selector (GSS) leverages the Domain Name System (DNS) to provide clients with reliable and efficient content services. Domain to IP address mapping is performed with consideration for availability, location, and load of content servers. Using the GSS in combination with Cisco’s Content Services Switch (CSS), Cisco’s Catalyst 6000 Content Switching Module (CSM), or Cisco’s Application Control Engine (ACE) allows users to create Global Server Load Balancing (GSLB) networks.

When the hostname.domainname associated with my Small Office Home Office (SOHO) failed to update after a power outage, and a new DHCP-assigned external address was assigned to my router, I was reminded of the need for Dynamic DNS. This article will explore the implementation of the dynamic domain name server system on both the Cisco […]

Systems like telephones and computers are good at looking at number to identify a destination address. Most people are less skilled at using numeric addresses and prefer easy to remember names. When users begin applications such as e-mail or Web browsing, they find it easier to supply the name of the target system rather than […]

If you plan to implement Active Directory Domain Services on your network DNS will be a critical infrastructure service.  Designing a robust, fault –tolerant DNS structure is essential to the health and smooth operation of Active Directory. Starting with the introduction of Active Directory with Windows Server 2000, Microsoft switched from NetBIOS name resolution, which […]

The Domain Name System (DNS) distributes the responsibility of assigning domain names and mapping those names to IP addresses by designating authoritative name servers for each domain. Authoritative name servers are assigned to be responsible for their particular domains and, in turn, can assign other authoritative name servers for their sub-domains. This mechanism has made […]

Anyone who uses the Internet to send an E-mail or browse the Web uses the Domain Name System (DNS) without even realizing it. DNS is an incredibly important, but completely hidden, part of the Internet. The DNS forms one of the largest and most active distributed databases on the planet. Without DNS, the Internet would […]

In this post we revisit another old friend that is used quite often in all of our modern networks, the Domain Name System (DNS). DNS is a hierarchical naming system for computers, services, or any other resource connected to the Internet or a private network. The DNS process associates database information with domain names that […]

ASA and PIX appliance operating systems version 7.2 introduced the concept of a Layer 7 class map. This feature is solely intended for what is commonly referred to as DPI (Deep Packet Inspection). One such protocol which lends itself to such scrutiny is the Domain Name System (DNS). This post will highlight some of the inspection features for DNS. […]

Although it doesn’t always seem that way, CCDAs and CCDPs, as network designers, usually try and make any network, no matter how complex, as simple as possible to use. And, we human beings often need to automate many networking tasks to provide a basic simplicity of network operation. There are four tools that are used […]