GreenGeeks is thrilled to introduce our new globally-based Anycast DNS platform.
The new Anycast DNS platform promises faster page load times and improved reliability for websites hosted on the GreenGeeks network.
What is Anycast DNS?
At its core, the Anycast DNS is a more efficient method of routing DNS requests.
Instead of directing requests to a random nameserver like traditional DNS, Anycast DNS routes requests to the closest server geographically, reducing latency and helping to ensure website availability during a partial outage.
How is Anycast DNS different from traditional DNS?
With traditional DNS, all requests to a single IP address get directed to the same physical backend server.
In contrast, on the Anycast DNS platform, multiple servers are distributed globally and configured under the same IP address.
When the DNS queries are received, Anycast can route the request to the nearest server in the network. These qualities make Anycast DNS particularly useful for websites or services with a global audience, as it allows for faster and more efficient DNS resolution.
In addition, anycast DNS can provide increased resiliency and redundancy, as queries can be routed to a different server if one server goes offline.
Improvement in the Numbers
We’ve compared the response times of our new Anycast DNS with our Legacy DNS across various cities around the world, and we’re excited to share the results with you.
| Region | Anycast DNS | Traditional DNS |
| Frankfurt | 0.625 ms | 92.29 ms |
| Amsterdam | 0.71 ms | 91.18 ms |
| London | 0.74 ms | 88.05 ms |
| New York | 1.78 ms | 90.18 ms |
| Dallas | 0.82 ms | 90.34 ms |
| San Francisco | 1.05 ms | 123.80 ms |
| Singapore | 1.71 ms | 154.29 ms |
| Sydney | 0.615 ms | 187.60 ms |
| Tokyo | 2.07 ms | 164.60 ms |
| Bangalore | 2.065 ms | 194.15 ms |
Benefits of GreenGeeks Anycast DNS:
Faster Page Loads
With Anycast DNS, your website will load faster than ever!
Multiple DNS servers distributed globally mean reduced response times for all queries, reducing the load time.
Enhanced Reliability
Anycast DNS improves the overall reliability of your website.
If one DNS server goes down or becomes unavailable, traffic gets automatically routed to another available server.
That redundancy means your website will remain online during a partial network outage.
Improved Scalability
Since Anycast’s capacity is not limited to a single backend server, it can handle higher traffic levels without slowing down or becoming overloaded.
These benefits make Anycast DNS a dependable option for eCommerce sites or popular blogs.
Better Protection against DDoS Attacks
Finally, Anycast DNS can help protect your website against distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.
By spreading traffic across multiple servers, Anycast DNS can reduce the impact of an attack if one server becomes overwhelmed with malicious traffic.
What do I have to do to take advantage of Anycast DNS?
There are two simple steps to converting an existing domain on the GreenGeeks traditional DNS to the Anycast-based DNS platform:
First, you need to update the nameservers for your domain with the domain registrar to the GreenGeeks Anycast nameservers.
- ns1.greengeeks.net
- ns2.greengeeks.net
Second; after updating the nameservers with the domain registrar, the backend DNS zone needs to be updated to set the correct NS & SOA records in order to take full advantage of the Anycast DNS platform.
For users without custom DNS records(meaning records that you’ve manually added), you can reset the DNS Zone from the from the cPanel(or WHM) using the DNS Zone Manager. Resetting the DNS zone will rebuild the DNS zone using the default values, including the NS & SOA records.
If you have custom DNS records that need to be retained, or need to update a number of domains, submit a Support Ticket Request and the GreenGeeks’ Support Team will be glad to assist you with updating the backend DNS zone’s NS & SOA records to match the new nameservers.
Are existing customers being forced to switch to Anycast DNS?
Although GreenGeeks recommends switching existing domains over the GreenGeeks Anycast DNS cluster, it is not required, and you can continue to use the Legacy DNS cluster.
Can I create my own Private Nameservers for the GreenGeeks Anycast DNS platform?
You can configure Private Nameservers under your domain that refers to the GreenGeeks Anycast DNS cluster and provide all the same benefits.
For more information refer to our support article on Setting up Private Nameservers.