When it comes to building out DNS Fully Qualified Domain Names (FQDNs) for application development, it’s important to consider the best practices and recommendations for both production and non-production (dev/test) environments.
Here are some guidelines specific to each environment:
Production Environment:
- Use separate domain names: Consider using separate domain names for your production environment to clearly differentiate it from non-production environments. For example, use “cordero.me” for production and “dev.cordero.me” or “test.cordero.me” for non-production environments.
- Implement strict access controls: Apply strict access controls and permissions to your production DNS infrastructure to ensure that only authorized personnel can make changes or updates to DNS records. This helps prevent unauthorized modifications or DNS-related security risks.
- Implement DNS redundancy: Set up redundant DNS servers and distribute them across multiple geographical locations to ensure high availability and resilience in your production environment. This helps mitigate the impact of DNS server failures or network outages.
- Use TTL appropriately: Set appropriate Time-To-Live (TTL) values for your production DNS records. A shorter TTL allows for quicker changes to propagate but may increase the DNS server load. Balance the TTL based on the frequency of updates and the performance impact on your infrastructure.
- Monitor DNS health: Implement DNS monitoring and alerting to promptly identify any DNS-related issues in your production environment. Regularly check DNS resolution, latency, and overall health to ensure optimal performance and availability.
Non-Production (Dev/Test) Environment:
- Use subdomains for non-production environments: Utilize subdomains, such as “dev.cordero.me” or “test.cordero.me,” to separate non-production environments from the main production domain. This helps maintain a clear distinction and prevents potential conflicts.
- Implement sandbox environments: Consider setting up sandbox or isolated environments for development and testing purposes. These environments can have their own DNS configuration and can be used to test DNS-related functionality without impacting the production environment.
- Use separate DNS servers: Consider using separate DNS servers or DNS zones for non-production environments to ensure isolation and prevent accidental modifications to production DNS records. This allows more flexibility and control over DNS management in the non-production environment.
- Utilize DNS overrides or local resolution: Use DNS overrides or local resolution mechanisms in non-production environments to mimic production DNS behavior. This can be done through hosts file entries or local DNS servers that resolve non-production FQDNs to specific IP addresses or hostnames.
- Regularly synchronize with production: Periodically synchronize DNS configurations between non-production and production environments to ensure consistency and alignment. This can help catch potential configuration drift and avoid unexpected DNS-related issues.
Remember to follow the general DNS best practices mentioned earlier, such as using descriptive names, implementing DNS caching, considering security measures like DNSSEC, and regularly reviewing and updating DNS configurations, regardless of the environment.
By considering these best practices and tailoring them to your specific production and non-production environments, you can ensure a well-structured and manageable DNS infrastructure for your application development needs.