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Probably the best thing an individual library or system can do
performance-wise (strictly with regards to DNS!) is to locally cache
DNS requests at the firewall/proxy/gateway/etc. With the FOSS network
perimeter firewall that I typically use, DNS caching is integrated and
automatic. (Check the features of your own existing setup; you might be
pleasantly surprised!) That way if one workstation on the network has
previously resolved a domain name, that information is cached and
available to any other workstation on the network that does the same
DNS lookup. No additional impact on the pipe to the Internet at all. In
the grand scheme of things, however, it typically takes just a few
small packets of data to complete a DNS lookup request. If DNS lookups
are pushing your Internet access over the edge, then it may be time to
really sit down and analyze your usage and make some strategic changes.<br>
<br>
Off and on I've considered using OpenDNS for a few libraries, but
ultimately never ended up using it. You generally want to use the DNS
servers that are closest (in a networking sense). The closest DNS
servers will generally respond the fastest to requests. The state's DNS
servers seem to be provisioned well-enough and I've not had any
problems with them. One of the servers I usually use is just six hops
away from workstations at one of my libraries. Unless the State of Ohio
is hosting one of OpenDNS' or Google's DNS servers on the state's
network, it can't get any closer than that.<br>
<br>
Now if you're looking at the filtering features, that's different...<br>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">-----------------------
Chad Neeper
Senior Systems Engineer
Level 9 Networks
740-548-8070 (voice)
866-214-6607 (fax)
-- Full LAN/WAN consulting services --
-- Specialized in libraries and schools --</pre>
<br>
<br>
Eric Maynard wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:b6d8e4ca0912040827v23879297lcebe0bdb90f72718@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">Which raises the related question of should Libraries be
persuing services like OpenDNS even if they don't filter or have other
means to filter?
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Is the "extra" layer of malware protection reason enough to
consider using OpenDNS? Is there a performance benefit if nothing else?</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I use this on my home LAN and have given this some though in the
past for Holmes Co, but have yet to act with any kind of test or trial.<br>
<div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Thoughts?</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Eric Maynard<br>
Head of Information Technology,<br>
Holmes County District Public Library<br>
Millersburg, OH 44654<br>
Email [<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:emaynard@holmeslib.org">emaynard@holmeslib.org</a>]<br>
Phone [330.674.5972 x.224]<br>
Fax [330.674.1938] <br>
<br>
"Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently"<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Dec 4, 2009 at 9:42 AM, JKENZIG <span
dir="ltr"><<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:JKENZIG@cuyahogalibrary.org">JKENZIG@cuyahogalibrary.org</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote"
style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-US">
<div>
<div>
<div
style="border-style: solid none none; border-color: rgb(181, 196, 223) -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color; border-width: 1pt medium medium; padding: 3pt 0in 0in;">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">And
an interesting response from OpenDNS</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://blog.opendns.com/2009/12/03/opendns-google-dns/"
target="_blank">http://blog.opendns.com/2009/12/03/opendns-google-dns/</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br>
<b>To:</b> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:oplintech@oplin.org" target="_blank">oplintech@oplin.org</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [OPLINTECH] Google Announces Public DNS Service</span></p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="im">
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This is pretty neat.</span></p>
<p><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://code.google.com/speed/public-dns/docs/intro.html"
target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">http://code.google.com/speed/public-dns/docs/intro.html</span></a></p>
<p><b><span
style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: "Freestyle Script";">Jim Kenzig</span></b><br>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Network Manager</span><br>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black;">Cuyahoga
County Public Library</span></p>
<p> </p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br>
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</blockquote>
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