CircleID

DNSSEC is a hot topic. It's a technology newly unleashed on popular networking, which has led to countless articles and posts on the subject, including right here on CircleID.

The way a lot of articles try to get your attention is to talk about a technology, like DNSSEC, in a way that makes the technology either seem really significant or really complicated. That is why a lot of articles about DNSSEC make it sound like something huge, complicated, and scary.

But it's not.

DNSSEC may sound difficult to understand when you read about it. However, DNSSEC is actually pretty mundane, routine, and cyclic. It just requires some actions to be performed on a regular basis, such as periodic key rolling and zone signing.

Here is the key. Try to think about DNSSEC maintenance like you would lawn maintenance. While it would be nice to just sit on your porch and just watch the grass continue to grow — pulling out the mower, checking the oil, mowing, cleaning and storing the mower is a necessary evil every now and again.

Then again, sometimes it is just easier to call in the landscapers — especially if your lawn is large or otherwise complicated. Like lawn care, DNSSEC can also be easily outsourced. While lawn care services may use the same mowers from lawn to lawn, you will ultimately save in the maintenance of the mower.

The point is, DNSSEC should not be feared. So long as you are aware of what it does, you shouldn't be afraid to deploy it. And of course, if you still don't want to do it, there is always the option of outsourcing.

By Edward Lewis, Director and Member of the Technical Staff at Neustar

Related topics: DNS Security, Security