DNS load balancing
Load balancing can start before the TCP handshake.
Application load balancers only see connections that already arrived. DNS is the first chance to split traffic across regions, pools or canaries.
Use weighted records, subnet load balancing and GeoDNS so each resolver gets the intended endpoint. Health checks keep dead pools out of the rotation.
Why teams use Aptranet
What DNS load balancing looks like on this network.
Cloud DNS answers on 210+ Anycast servers, with GeoDNS, health checks and a one-second minimum TTL for change.
Weighted traffic splits
Send 10% of answers to a new pool, then raise the weight as it proves in.
Subnet load balancing
Finer splits than continent or country when you know the resolver space.
Health-informed rotation
Unhealthy endpoints are removed from eligible answers.
How to set it up
A cutover you can validate before DNS moves.
Create the Cloud DNS configuration, prove it on an Aptranet hostname, then point production DNS when the path looks correct.
- 1Identify the pools
Regions, clusters or canary endpoints that can receive traffic.
- 2Set weights or subnets
Start conservatively on a new pool.
- 3Attach health checks
Do not wait for operators to notice a dead pool.
- 4Watch query and origin metrics
Confirm the split matches what you intended, then adjust weights.
Outcomes
What changes once the hostname is on Aptranet.
- Traffic can be split in DNS
- Canaries do not need 50% of answers
- Dead pools can disappear automatically
- Subnet policies support tighter control
Keep reading
Related pages
More DNS use cases on the same Cloud DNS footprint.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Resolvers cache answers and represent many users. Use it for coarse splits and region steering, not per-request fairness.
Yes. DNS chooses a pool. The load balancer still spreads connections inside that pool.
Yes. DNS can steer to more than one CDN or origin hostname. Cloud CDN origin groups handle delivery-side failover.
Low enough to change weights on your schedule. Cloud DNS supports a one-second minimum TTL.