DNS your way, is the only way!

by Dennis Burgess

On July 14, 2025, Cloudflare experienced a significant outage impacting its widely used global DNS resolver, 1.1.1.1. This incident underscores a critical vulnerability faced by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that rely exclusively on global DNS resolvers.

Global DNS resolvers like Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1, Google’s 8.8.8.8, and Quad9’s 9.9.9.9 are popular due to their speed, security, and ease of configuration. However, the Cloudflare outage exposed the risks of placing critical infrastructure outside the ISP’s direct control.

When ISPs depend solely on these external resolvers, they relinquish control over a core network function. During the Cloudflare incident, ISPs using 1.1.1.1 had no ability to accelerate resolution or even receive timely operational updates. This lack of direct influence made it difficult to communicate clearly with customers and manage expectations.

Operating local DNS resolvers gives ISPs the autonomy, visibility, and control needed to protect service quality. A local DNS infrastructure allows ISPs to:

1. Identify and mitigate issues internally instead of waiting on third-party providers.
2. Communicate accurate, real-time status updates to customers during incidents.
3. Implement DNS policies tuned to their own performance, security, and customer requirements.
4. Eliminate single-vendor dependency for a mission-critical service.

The July 14 Cloudflare outage provides a clear lesson: while global resolvers offer convenience, exclusive reliance on them creates unnecessary operational risk and loss of control. ISPs that operate their own DNS infrastructure gain resilience, independence, and the ability to protect their customer experience—even during large-scale internet events.

Link Technologies, Inc. provides servers and engineering expertise to deploy DNS platforms that are redundant, fast, and cost-effective. Contact sales@linktechs.net for more information on DNS infrastructure and consulting services.

Reference: Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 Incident – July 14, 2025