Using the DNS Domain Trace View

When you create any DNS domain trace test, you get access to the DNS Domain Trace view. The DNS Domain Trace view leverages the ThousandEyes standard layout, documented here.

This article highlights specifics shown in the DNS Domain Trace view.

Example

This example shows the result of a globally distributed DNS domain trace test, targeting ultradns.net:A.

View Specifics

The DNS domain trace test measures the following metrics:

• Availability: The percentage availability for the requested DNS record.

• Queries: The average number of queries sent to produce each trace.

• Final Query time: The average response time from the final (authoritative) DNS server.

For details on available metrics, see this article.

The DNS Domain Trace view shows two different data views, depending on whether or not an agent is selected:

Without a Location Selected

The computed averages area is comprised of two sections:

• Map - Computes the worldwide average for availability, number of queries, and final query time:

  
• Table - For each agent assigned to the test, the table offers a Trace link, which shows full trace information, all mappings returned for the domain trace query, the number of queries sent, and the final query time in ms.

  

Without an agent selected, the timeline shows the average availability of the domain, calculated across all agents.

With a Location Selected

The computed averages area is comprised of two sections:

• Map - Shows whether the target domain is available from the agent (that is, OK or Error), the number of queries, and the final query time. For detailed trace information, click the View Trace link (similar to dig +trace <domain_name> from the command line).

  
• Table - For each agent assigned to the test, the table offers a Trace link, which shows full trace information, all mappings returned for the domain trace query, the number of queries sent, and the final query time in ms. The selected agent is highlighted in blue.

  

The timeline plots the availability percentage of the target domain measured from the agent as a line graph over the area graph, showing the average availability percentage measured from all agents assigned to the test.

Note that there is no jump-to menu available for a DNS domain trace test, since network measurements cannot be enabled against many servers, due to the proliferation of anycast DNS services on the Internet.