Handling DNS Configurations in Multi-Cloud Environments: Challenges and Solutions

The cloud computing industry has become a promising force with the advancement in technology. Multi-cloud environments are helping organisations achieve success in this industry in terms of scalability, reliability and efficiency. Surprisingly, within the same pool, DNS configuration is the backbone of connection, and it is what brings smooth communication between cloud resources to different platforms.

However, there is an issue with this development; it is not so easy to control DNS in multi-cloud system. Among the challenges on the way are misconfigurations, synchronization issues, and security vulnerabilities, which tend to cause expensive downtime and service disruptions. To address this, the companies need trained personnel to maintain steady and effective operations and reduce risks.

Upesh Kumar is a master of his trade as far as the sphere of DNS configuration and the creation of private endpoints is concerned. At Deloitte, he shook things up with NOVA and API payloads, and had a career characterized by creative approaches which have led to the best of DNS technology. Among the best aspects of his work was the centralised DNS management system which synchronises DNS records on Azure, AWS and Google Cloud. Such common problems as inconsistency and misconfiguration remain in the past because of the implementation of this system.

It is not only that people must be technically important, they must be aware of what is coming down the line and prepared to prevent it. That is what it takes to manage DNS in multi-cloud setups, he says. Kumar has managed to minimise DNS misconfigurations by an amazing 90% and automated synchronisation processes which have reduced more than 200 hours annually of hand-management. Once he implemented automation systems, such as Terraform and Azure DevOps pipelines, the delay of the DNS to update itself around the world reduced to virtually nothing. Essentially 98% of the reduction resulted in a big change in the application performance and the elimination of downtime. He has entered the world of multi-cloud DNS load balancing with hotfooting and tried Azure Traffic Manager, AWS Route 53 and Google Clouds Traffic Director to ensure that resources are utilized to maximum capacity, and the services are never down.

He emphasizes, “DNS is the blood of the multi-cloud connectivity and that a single mistake can crash the whole system,” that is why he is confident that precision and predictability are so essential. In mentoring and on boarding new colleagues, the idea behind this has been to provide them with skills and knowledge they require so that they are able to succeed in their jobs, and he has done so with a keen interest in transferring knowledge, and ensuring that they are able to hit the ground running. Entering a new company hotfooting, Kumar has made a document of his DNS settings and of the connections made between the company and its private endpoints such that his subordinate teams have it as a reference manual and it enables his teams to effectively and independently resolve any arising issues. He has struggled and overcome the knotty problem of setting up of the private endpoints with the appropriate DNS and network connections, and has done it despite limited access and information available. His remarkable job has not been overlooked and earned him praise among the top brass, and also made him the one that people refer to in order to seek professional information about his field of work. In the case of DNS, one of his most significant contributions was the drive behind DNS Security Extensions, or DNSSEC, and DDOS defense with multi-cloud systems.

Hotfooting into this field, he quite clearly understood the emerging danger of DNS-based cyber-attacks. In his view, security is the aspect of DNS management that is underestimated, yet it plays a very important role in protecting our infrastructure and not to lose trust in the system. His future-oriented thinking has managed to provide a coherent feeling of safety to various platforms and swat the threat of DNS spoofing and other threats.

Considering the future, he also emphasizes the increasing significance of AI and machine learning in managing DNS. He fantasizes about high-tech tools that would anticipate and avert configuration issues, optimize DNS routing and improve security. The DNS is destined to be smartly automated and highly secured. “Organisations investing in these areas will not only enhance performance but in the future prove their infrastructure against emerging challenges,” he remarks.