DNS (Domain Name System)

The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical and decentralized naming system for computers, services, or other resources connected to the Internet or a private network. It translates more readily memorized domain names (like www.surfly.com) into the numerical IP addresses (like 192.0.2.44) needed for locating and identifying computer services and devices with the underlying network protocols. When you type a website address into your browser, DNS is the system that looks up the corresponding IP address so your browser can connect to the correct server.

This process generally involves your computer querying a DNS resolver (often provided by your ISP), which then may query a series of other DNS servers, including root servers, TLD (Top-Level Domain) servers, and finally, the authoritative DNS server for the specific domain, to fetch the correct IP address.

Surfly relies on DNS records in several key areas:

Whitelabeling

Many enterprise customers prefer co-browsing sessions to appear as if they are hosted on their own domain, reinforcing their brand identity. DNS makes this possible through CNAME (Canonical Name) records.

• The customer configures a CNAME record in their own DNS settings. For example, they might point cobrowse.bank.com to a Surfly domain (surfly.com).
• When a user accesses cobrowse.bank.com, DNS resolution directs them to Surfly's servers, but the user sees the company's domain in the address bar. This allows for a fully branded, unified co-browsing experience.

Security Allowlisting

Corporate networks often employ firewalls that restrict internet access to a predefined list of approved domains to enhance security. For Surfly to operate correctly within such environments, IT departments must add Surfly-related domains to their firewall's "allowlist."

• Typically, this involves allowlisting *.surfly.com and any custom whitelabelled domains used for co-browsing.
• This ensures that employees (e.g., support agents) on corporate networks can connect to Surfly's proxy servers and establish connections on port 443. Without proper DNS resolution and firewall permissions, Surfly sessions cannot be initiated.

Geo-Routing and Performance Optimization

Surfly operates a global infrastructure with servers distributed across various geographic regions. To provide the best user experience with minimal latency, Surfly utilizes GeoDNS.

• GeoDNS intelligently directs users' DNS queries to the Surfly server geographically closest to them.
• When a user's browser requests the IP address for a Surfly domain, the GeoDNS system analyzes the origin of the request (or the resolver's location) and returns the IP address of the nearest Surfly proxy server. This significantly speeds up session loading times and ensures faster, more responsive co-browsing sessions for a global user base.

High Availability and DNS Failover

DNS also plays a part in Surfly's high availability and reliability.

• Surfly's infrastructure is designed for redundancy, with multiple servers and data centers.
• DNS failover mechanisms can automatically reroute traffic if a server or data center experiences issues. Health checks monitor servers' availability, and if it becomes unresponsive, its IP address can be temporarily removed from DNS responses or traffic can be pointed to a different, closest server.

Proper DNS functionality and configuration are important for several reasons when using Surfly.

Strengthening Brand Trust and Delivering a White-Label Experience

DNS is the mechanism that allows Surfly to offer a co-browsing experience that feels entirely native to your own digital properties.

• Builds Customer Confidence: By using CNAME records to serve sessions from your own domain (e.g., cobrowse.bank.com), customers interact within a familiar and trusted web environment. This continuity is important when handling sensitive interactions or guiding users through complex processes, as they never feel like they've been redirected to an unfamiliar third-party site.
• Ensures Brand Consistency: Presenting the co-browsing service under your domain reinforces your brand identity throughout the entire customer journey, from initial website visit to direct support, creating a professional and unified presence.

Optimizing Global Performance and Accessibility

The speed and reach of Surfly's platform are heavily supported by its DNS strategy, influencing user satisfaction and agent productivity.

• Faster Sessions Worldwide: Through GeoDNS, users are automatically connected to the geographically closest Surfly server. This intelligent routing minimizes latency, leading to quicker session load times and smoother real-time interactions, regardless of where your customers or agents are located.
• Reliable Access in Corporate Environments: IT departments must allowlist Surfly domains (*.surfly.com and any custom domains) in their firewalls. This DNS-related configuration ensures that agents can consistently access Surfly's platform without being blocked, preventing disruptions to customer support operations.

Service Reliability and Business Continuity

DNS contributes to Surfly's highly available infrastructure, giving businesses a dependable platform for their critical customer interactions.

• Enhanced Uptime: Using DNS failover, Surfly automatically reroutes traffic to alternative servers or data centers in the event of an outage. This minimizes service interruptions, ensuring consistent uptime and uninterrupted customer support for your business.
• Scalable Operations: As your usage grows, Surfly's DNS-managed infrastructure can handle increased load by distributing requests from different origins across its global server network, ensuring consistent performance.