On measuring the client-side DNS infrastructure

Abstract

The Domain Name System (DNS) is a critical component of the Internet infrastructure. It allows users to interact with Web sites using human-readable names and provides a foundation for transparent client request distribution among servers in Web platforms, such as content delivery networks. In this paper, we present methodologies for efficiently discovering the complex client-side DNS infrastructure. We further develop measurement techniques for isolating the behavior of the distinct actors in the infrastructure. Using these strategies, we study various aspects of the client-side DNS infrastructure and its behavior with respect to caching, both in aggregate and separately for different actors.