Are you working with the right DDI provider?

Key questions to help you evaluate your current DNS solution

Corporate networks have become incredibly complex. As more and more businesses digitally transform through key IT initiatives such as cloud, ITaaS and automation, DNS can no longer be an afterthought. It’s the foundation of a robust network management strategy.

While you may think that all DNS providers are the same, this is far from the truth. For many vendors, a DNS solution is just another SKU on a long list of product offerings. So, how do you know if you’re working with a true DNS expert? Here are a few questions to think about:

Have you been avoiding an upgrade with your current DNS provider because you know it’s going to be difficult, time-consuming, and expensive?

DNS software upgrades can be painful if they aren’t handled with enterprise-class expertise; they can cause other functionality to break, which leads to costly professional services bills as you and your team work with your vendor or a 3rd-party professional services team to pinpoint and resolve the issues. Since upgrades are often very onerous, migrating to a more robust enterprise-grade DNS provider can actually be the easier and safer solution, and it will save you from another difficult upgrade down the road.

Does your current DNS provider offer knowledgeable professional services expertise to help you plan and execute your upgrade?

A company that is focused only on DNS will get to know you and your network management team, as well as your current initiatives and long-term goals. When your DNS provider understands where you are headed, an in-house and experienced professional services team can proactively offer solutions to address challenges, mitigate risks, and partner with you to tackle projects. Without this dedicated expertise, you’re playing catch-up with each network project as you and your team acclimate to a different professional services team. Since you’re only dealing with the project at hand, it’s unlikely that you and your DNS vendor are developing long-term, holistic strategies to improve your overall approach to network management.

Does your DNS vendor provide expert, in-house support with multiple levels of interaction so you get the support you need?

Basic, self-service support may work for some technologies, but it’s not ideal for DNS management—especially for large enterprises. When DNS isn’t the singular focus of a network management vendor, you’ll be disadvantaged by low-touch support services and a lack of in-house expertise if problems arise. Inadequately trained support personnel can’t resolve issues quickly, and issues can easily be misdiagnosed.

Is your DNS provider focused on DNS alone?

This may seem like circular logic; however, if your answer is “no,” then it’s an immediate red flag. DNS is a core functionality in increasingly complex enterprise networks and you need a provider that invests all of its efforts on DNS—from product development to professional services to customer support.

Is it time to switch to Adaptive DNS?

At BlueCat, our sole focus is Adaptive DNS. We partner with our customers to help them build intelligent, scalable networks for significantly increased visibility, control and compliance. Our Customer Care team has in-depth product and service knowledge, tools and resources to resolve issues as quickly as possible, including a peer-engaged community that contributes to a robust knowledgebase of solutions and best practices. BlueCat’s Professional Services team and BluePrint methodology can guide every step of your migration, from data extraction, optimization, and validation to hands-on assistance to ensure a streamlined, error-free migration.

If your company is currently building a strategy for the transformative initiatives of tomorrow, the foundation starts with Adaptive DNS today.