DNS Solutions in 2019: From Breaking Point to Tipping Point

The start of a new year is a natural time to take stock and as part of this, I wanted to offer some thoughts on BlueCat’s vision for the coming year.

In 2018, the “network of the future” finally became the network of the present.  Hybrid cloud is the new normal, unlocking significant new value across the enterprise.

Here’s the problem:  the infrastructure of most networks wasn’t built to handle any of this.

In the headlong rush to the cloud, some companies did not spend enough time thinking about the follow-on effects on core infrastructure. 

In 2018, BlueCat heard from plenty of network administrators who were overwhelmed with support demands from cloud teams who were tasked with delivering new business initiatives.  On the other side, we also heard from CIOs, cloud engineering, applications teams, and security organizations frustrated with the operational implications of inflexible network architectures.

With this inevitable move to complex cloud environments, network teams are either forced to make error-ridden changes on the fly, or rethink how network services are built and delivered.  As I recently heard from one of our prospective customers:  “Cloud and hyper-converged infrastructure are forcing us to change our networks, whether we want to or not.”

Meeting the demands of the cloud and related business initiatives means deploying a fully automated network infrastructure, delivered through self-service portals instead of manual help desk tickets.  Furthermore, enterprises are looking to securely optimize and manage network traffic as network configurations are completely redesigned.

We believe that this year, network infrastructure will turn from a breaking point into a tipping point.

For all the talk of innovation, we know that one of the oldest technologies on the internet – the domain name system – is the underlying foundation of every network initiative.  Without a baseline of centralized, automated, secure and intelligent DNS, it is impossible to maximize the gain in value inherent in moving to a hybrid cloud environment.

BlueCat continues to be laser focused on delivering value to our customers and enabling their strategic initiatives through our innovative DNS solution.  Here’s a taste of what we’ll be focused on in the coming year:

• Automation and Self-Service: In 2018, we opened up our Gateway automation platform to all enterprise users and published a series of certified workflows on our BlueCat Labs GitHub repository. In 2019, we’ll build more certified workflows, third-party integrations, and tools.  The goal is to make DNS far easier to consume by network teams and business end-users alike.
• Improved Network Visibility and Control: In 2018, we took a major leap forward as customers started to use BlueCat’s unique capabilities to discover the intent of devices on the network (both intranet and internet) through DNS. This year we are introducing new ways to proactively identify and block threats, as well as new integrations with products used by the SOC to improve our customers’ defense in depth.
• More Intelligent Networking: BlueCat has always been intently focused on making DNS easier to manage across an increasingly complex network topology. This year we are improving our solution to better steer traffic, balance loads, and take advantage of DNS for use cases far beyond simple query resolution.  Any “internet breakout” strategy which does not consider DNS is not leveraging our customers’ investment effectively.
• Consumption-Based Pricing: We’ve heard loud and clear that our customers want to consume DNS solutions in the way they consume any other piece of software: delivered as a subscription service.  In the coming year, BlueCat will offer new packages focused on increased flexibility, scalability, and pricing predictability.  As others in the DNS market insist on shackling their customers with boxes, perpetual licenses, and punishing refresh charges, BlueCat will continue moving in the opposite direction – towards virtual deployments and subscription pricing which includes upgrades.

From the strategic landscape of business initiatives to the bits and bytes of everyday DNS management, 2019 is shaping up to be a banner year for BlueCat and its customers.  We’re looking forward to delighting our customers even more over the coming twelve months by taking their DNS to the next level.

Michael Harris

CEO, BlueCat