How to Use the DNS Benchmark to Your Advantage
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To test your DNS setup and performance, you should run a simple DNS Benchmark. You really CAN optimize it before you can test it! Click here or on the graphic above to download the program. Although GRC's DNS Benchmark comes with so many features to fulfill the needs of even the most demanding Internet guru (as this benchmark has features designed specifically to help serious DNS Performance investigation), the accompanying box below shows that it's also very easy for first time and casual users to execute:
Running the DNS Benchmark on your computer or laptop will allow you to view the results as soon as they are generated. This tool generates a list of servers that meet certain criteria. Once you have identified the servers that you want to perform your Benchmark, the benchmark tool will generate a list of them for you. It's as simple as that. The command line parameters are uncomplicated and fast to install.
As an example, the command line parameters for the DNS Benchmark can be executed like this: grc DNS Benchmark DNS-server-ip-list= SERVER-ADDRESS, server-type= SERVER-ADDRESS-HOST, nameservers tab = true, nameservers tab = false. Once you have these parameters, you will be able to identify which servers are slower, which ones are faster, and which ones respond best to a DNS request. The tab shows how many IP addresses are used by each of your servers and how frequently these IP addresses change. It is a good idea to disable this feature if you do not need to see how many IP addresses are used by your DNS server(s). For the sake of simplicity, however, I usually set this feature to "true."
