DNS Server min GHZ??

Question

I think I can speed up DNS response for users by moving the DNS server from being shared on an old Exchange server (NT4-server) onto a separate Linux server. There are 2 or 3 dozen users.

1) What is the min speed machine that would be effective for this type of DNS server?
2) Would it be better to have a faster ordinary machine or use an old server class machine ( I have an old Proliant 1500 server around , which is like a P150 or so).
3) I have a copy of Suse Linux Standard Server (which I haven't used yet, so I am a Linux virgin), which says it can do DNS. Would this be suitable? Thanks all!, gr

Robert Redelmeier · Accepted Answer

gr  wrote in part:I think the biggest thing for DNS servers is RAM size tocache adrrs.  Once they hit disk, they might as well hitthe net.  For good perf, you have to make sure your uplinkis not saturated.  Not easy to assure with ADSL or cable.-- Robert

Al Dykes · Answer

Just about any box that runs fast enough to install a modern Linux will be fast enough as a dedicated DNS server.

You might try a caching DNS server each of your clients.

When my home ISP had a run of nast DNS problems the users on their support chat group said Treewalk DNS was the hot tip for a solution. I put it in and in a year it's worked flawlessly. When the ISP's DNS was acting up the improvement was dramatic.

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On my w2k system it seems to use a wahooping 51K of memory, and the CPU load has to be modest since it offloads some IP networking when it's working from cache.

Give it a try on one of your machines. It can't hurt.

glen herrmannsfeldt · Answer

Probably plenty fast enough for hundreds of users.

As others have said, you want enough memory to keep all your zones, plus some amount for caching, but speed doesn't tend to be much of a problem.

-- glen

DNS Server min GHZ??

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