CloudFlare - NOTICE - DNS Change - 20130321

[Marc]

NOTICE - DNS Change - 20130321

I have decided to use CloudFlare for security and for CDN cloud services. I have been reading a lot about it. I did the US$20/month "Pro" version.

It requires me to change my DNS servers. This shouldn't cause any down time, but years ago DNS changes could take a week to propagate. I'm sort of afraid to do this "mid stream", so to speak, but I figure it's worth a try. I'm signing up for CloudFlair now and it won't let me proceed unless I change name server (DNS records) now.

Stand by and cross your fingers for "good luck with that..."

 

[Marc]

Re: NOTICE - DNS Change - 20130321

I have made the DNS change. Let me know if you have any connection problems by replying in this thread.

Thank You!

Marc

 

[kedarg6500]

Re: NOTICE - DNS Change - 20130321

Thank you for the initiative. What are the benefits with DNS server change.?

Kedar

 

[Marc]

Re: NOTICE - DNS Change - 20130321

CloudFlare has a number of servers around he world. They do a number of things including CDN caching of a lot of content, malware filtering and monitoring.

For them to do those things (and more), rather than use the DNS server which is on Elsmar.com I had to point Elsmar.com to their DNS servers so they can process requests.

 

[Wes Bucey]

FWIW: I have not noticed any deterioration of speed in clicking links leading within or out of Elsmar.

 

[Marc]

I doubt in the US anyone will see a quicker page load time. Among other things, CloudFlare checks for a lot of things, such as spammer IPs, and dumps "suspicious" connections/packets. That makes for increased processor time on their servers as they check packets and references to "black lists" among other things. On the other hand, for foreign visitors it *may* speed things up a bit because it is doing CDN caching at quite a few servers around the world.

There are tradeoffs for what it does vs. a simple CDN service.

 

[Marc]

BTW - CloudFlare supposedly checks uploaded files for malware. No guarantees, but better than nothing. We haven't had a problem with malware in uploaded files, but the internet is changing so....