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IBM NS1 Connect Managed DNS offers DNS management and traffic steering for optimized performance. Enhance your DNS Strategy today.
IBM NS1 Connect is a managed authoritative DNS and traffic steering service for AWS, multi-cloud, and hybrid environments, operating on a global anycast network with 26 PoPs across 6 continents and a 100% uptime SLA for DNS resolution, using real-time data from Amazon CloudWatch and application health signals.
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Overview
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Overview of IBM NS1 Connect Managed DNS
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What is Traffic Steering
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Simplify HTTPS Management
IBM NS1 Connect is a managed authoritative DNS and traffic steering service for applications deployed across AWS, multi-cloud, and hybrid environments. The service operates on a global anycast network spanning 26 points of presence (PoPs) across 6 continents and provides a 100% uptime SLA for DNS resolution.
It integrates with AWS services including Amazon EC2, Amazon EKS, Elastic Load Balancing (ALB/NLB), Amazon CloudFront, AWS Global Accelerator and Amazon CloudWatch.
NS1 Connect enables DNS-based traffic routing using real-time data such as Real user Metrics (RUM), third party QoE data, CloudWatch metrics, health checks, latency, geographic location, and application performance signals.
The platform supports primary and secondary DNS configurations across AWS, other cloud providers, and on-premises infrastructure.
Key Capabilities
Available and Adaptable
- Global anycast DNS network with 26 PoPs across 6 continents for distributed query handling - 100% uptime SLA for DNS resolution.
- Traffic steering using real-time metrics, health checks, latency, and RUM data.
- Multi-cloud and multi-CDN routing across AWS, other cloud providers, and on-prem environments.
Agile and Secure
- API-First integration with infrstructure-as-a-service (Kubernetes, Ansible, Piulimi) Kubernetes ExternalDNS, AWS services.
- Observability integrations including Amazon CloudWatch, Datadog, Splunk, AppDynamics, Catchpoint, ThousandEyes, Pingdom.
- Security features including DNSSEC, TSIG, IP allow-listing, RBAC, SAML/SSO, AWS IAM read-only integration.
- ISO/IEC 27001 certification. SOC 2 Type II available via AWS Vendor Insights.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does NS1 Connect integrate with Amazon Route 53?
AWS and IBM offer two complementary architecture patterns that help customers expand their use of Amazon Route 53 while meeting advanced performance and resiliency requirements. With IBM Cloud Sync (an optional add-on), zones, records, traffic-steering metadata, and health checks synchronize bidirectionally between NS1 Connect and Route 53 without DNS zone-transfer (XFR). Cloud Sync also backs up NS1 Connect DNS configurations to a customer-owned Amazon S3 bucket for fast restore.
Which AWS services are used for traffic steering decisions?
NS1 Connect ingests Amazon CloudWatch metrics directly into Filter Chains, so DNS answers reflect the live health and performance of Amazon EKS, EC2, ELB, CloudFront, and other AWS resources. In addition, the Filter Chain engine ingests telemetry from third-party observability and RUM providers (Datadog, Catchpoint, ThousandEyes, AppDynamics), enabling consistent multi-cloud and multi-provider decisioning. Cloud Sync backs up NS1 Connect DNS configurations to a customer-owned Amazon S3 bucket.
What scale does the service support?
Service tiers support query volumes from tens of millions per month to custom volumes at higher scales. NS1 Essentials handles 30-80M queries/month; NS1 Standard handles 50M-1B queries/month; NS1 Premium is custom-priced and scales beyond 1B/month.
Can NS1 Connect be used as primary or secondary DNS?
Yes. It can function as either a primary authoritative DNS provider or as a secondary provider.
What security features are included?
The platform is ISO 27001 certificatied with SOC 2 Type II available on request. It supports DNSSEC, TSIG, IP allow-listing, RBAC, SAML/SSO authentication and AWS IAM integration.
Does NS1 Connect support multi-CDN routing?
Yes. It can route traffic across Amazon CloudFront and third-party CDNs based on performance using real-time RUM, CloudWatch, Catchpoint and ThousandEyes signals, including cost-aware and contract-aware shaping.
Does NS1 support multi-cloud and hybrid environments?
Yes. Traffic routing policies can be applied across AWS, other public clouds, and on-premises infrastructure. Customers commonly run NS1 Connect as the global DNS decisioning layer in front of workloads spanning multiple providers, with per-zone or per-record steering policies. Where Amazon Route 53 is also in use, IBM Cloud Sync (optional add-on) keeps zones, records, and steering metadata aligned bidirectionally without DNS zone-transfer (XFR).
How does it fit DevOps workflows?
NS1 Connect provides API access and integrates with Terraform, Ansible, Pulumi, and Kubernetes ExternalDNS integration for automatic DNS record management; webhooks and APIs for CI/CD pipelines.
Is a free trial available?
Yes. A 30-day free trial is available through AWS Marketplace.
Highlights
- Global anycast network: Primary and secondary DNS built with a fully redundant architecture at 26 locations to meet a 100% uptime SLA.
- Real-time DNS traffic steering using Real User Metrics (RUM), Amazon CloudWatch metrics, third party QoE data, latency, and health checks.
- DevOps ready integrations with EC2, EKS, ALB/NLB, CloudFront, Terraform, Ansible, Pulumi, Global Accelerator, Datadog, Splunk, ThousandEyes.
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Pricing is based on the duration and terms of your contract with the vendor, and additional usage. You pay upfront or in installments according to your contract terms with the vendor. This entitles you to a specified quantity of use for the contract duration. Usage-based pricing is in effect for overages or additional usage not covered in the contract. These charges are applied on top of the contract price. If you choose not to renew or replace your contract before the contract end date, access to your entitlements will expire.
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Dimension | Description | Cost/12 months |
|---|---|---|
Essentials | Includes 30M queries 1000 records 1 Filter Chain 2 Monitors | $1,188.00 |
Essentials with Route 53 DNS syncronization | Includes 50M queries per month, 1000 records, 1 Traffic Steering Filter Chain, 2 Monitors, 1 Cloud Sync Connection | $3,288.00 |
Essentials Large Bundle | Includes 80M queries 1000 records 1 Filter Chain 2 Monitors | $4,188.00 |
Standard-50 | 50M Queries, 1000 Records, 1 Traffic Steering Filter Chains, 2 Monitors, 50 HTTPS Redirects, Spike Protection, Zone Backup/Restore | $4,188.00 |
Standard-150 | 150M Queries, 1000 Records, 3 Traffic Steering Filter Chains, 7 Monitors, 50 HTTPS Redirects, Spike Protection, Zone Backup/Restore | $9,426.00 |
Standard-250 with Route 53 DNS syncronization | Includes 250M Queries per month, 2000 Records, 25 Traffic Steering Filter Chains, 25 Monitors, 50 HTTPS Redirects, Spike Protection, Zone Backup/Restore, 1 Cloud Sync Connection | $22,006.80 |
Standard-500 | 500M Queries, 5000 Records, 50 Traffic Steering Filter Chains, 50 Monitors, 50 HTTPS Redirects, Spike Protection, Zone Backup/Restore | $31,096.80 |
Standard-1000 | 1Bn Queries, 10000 Records, 100 Traffic Steering Filter Chains, 100 Monitors, 50 HTTPS Redirects, Spike Protection, Zone Backup/Restore | $46,546.80 |
Standard-1000 with Route 53 DNS syncronization | Includes 1Bn Queries per month, 10000 Records, 100 Traffic Steering Filter Chains, 100 Monitors, 50 HTTPS Redirects, Spike Protection, Zone Backup/Restore, 1 Cloud Sync Connection | $47,446.80 |
Dimension | Description | Cost/unit |
|---|---|---|
Overage Rate Total Queries (Requests) | Overage Rate Total Queries (Requests) | $50.00 |
Overage Rate DNS Records | Overage Rate DNS Records | $75.00 |
Overage Rate Filter Chains (Resource Units) | Overage Rate Filter Chains (Resource Units) | $103.50 |
Overage Rate Monitors (Jobs) | Overage Rate Monitors (Jobs) | $3.45 |
Overage Rate China Requests | Overage Rate China Requests | $172.00 |
Steering Standard Interaction Overage | Steering Standard Interaction Overage | $20.39 |
GSLB Standard Interaction Overage | GSLB Standard Interaction Overage | $20.39 |
Steering Advanced Interaction Overage | Steering Advanced Interaction Overage | $32.39 |
GSLB Advanced Interaction Overage | GSLB Advanced Interaction Overage | $32.39 |
Enterprise Request Overage | Enterprise Request Overage | $8.27 |
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AI generated from product descriptions
Global Anycast Network Infrastructure
Operates on a global anycast network with 26 points of presence (PoPs) across 6 continents, providing fully redundant architecture with 100% uptime SLA for DNS resolution.
Real-time Traffic Steering
Enables DNS-based traffic routing using real-time data including Real User Metrics (RUM), Amazon CloudWatch metrics, third-party QoE data, latency measurements, health checks, and application performance signals.
Multi-cloud and Hybrid Environment Support
Supports primary and secondary DNS configurations across AWS, other cloud providers, and on-premises infrastructure with multi-CDN routing capabilities.
API-First Infrastructure Integration
Provides API-first integration with infrastructure-as-code tools including Terraform, Ansible, Pulumi, Kubernetes ExternalDNS, and CI/CD pipeline webhooks for automated DNS record management.
Security and Compliance Features
Includes DNSSEC, TSIG, IP allow-listing, RBAC, SAML/SSO authentication, AWS IAM integration, ISO/IEC 27001 certification, and SOC 2 Type II compliance.
AI-Powered Data Management
F5 AI Data Fabric enables generation of insights, management, and governance for data from different applications and products across multiple data lakes and data sources.
Multi-Cloud Network Connectivity
Global hub-and-spoke transit orchestration for connecting all cloud properties including public, private, network and edge clouds.
Integrated Security Stack
Unified software stack combining router, load balancer, network firewall, web application firewall (WAF), API security and API gateway capabilities.
Layer 3-7 DDoS Protection
L3-L7 DDoS defense capabilities for protecting applications and APIs deployed across distributed environments.
Unified Management Portal
Single SaaS-based console for SecOps, NetOps, and DevOps to manage and deploy virtual networks, connections, distributed applications, and API security.
Zone Configuration
Support for Primary zone, Secondary zone, Active Directory integrated zone, and stub zones
DNS Policy Management
DNS policies for Query Resolution, Recursion, Zone Transfer, and Traffic Management
Extended Scripting Capabilities
Extended Windows PowerShell support with required PowerShell modules pre-loaded
Standard contract
No
No
No
Customer reviews
Brianne K.
Reliable, Intelligent Traffic Management with Powerful Automation
Reviewed on Aug 13, 2026
Review provided by G2
What do you like best about the product?
What I like best about IBM NS1 Connect is its reliability and intelligent traffic management. It gives you a lot of control over how traffic is routed while helping maintain fast performance and uptime. I also really like the automation and monitoring capabilities, which make it easier to identify issues and keep everything running smoothly. Overall, it feels like a powerful, dependable solution that can scale well as your needs grow.
What do you dislike about the product?
The main thing I dislike about IBM NS1 Connect is that it can have a bit of a learning curve, especially for users who are new to advanced DNS and traffic management. The platform offers a lot of powerful features and customization, but it can take some time to fully understand and configure everything effectively. A more streamlined interface and additional beginner-friendly guidance would make the onboarding experience even better.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
IBM NS1 Connect helps solve problems around DNS reliability, application availability, traffic management, and performance. Its intelligent traffic steering and monitoring capabilities make it easier to route users to healthy, high-performing endpoints and respond quickly when issues occur. This benefits us by improving uptime, reducing potential disruptions, and providing better visibility and control over our network performance. Overall, it gives us more confidence that users can consistently access our applications quickly and reliably.
Andrei C.
Straightforward DNS Control and Flexible Traffic Management with NS1
Reviewed on Aug 12, 2026
Review provided by G2
What do you like best about the product?
I like that NS1 gives me good control over DNS and traffic while keeping things fairly straightforward. The performance and flexibility are especially useful when managing different environments.
What do you dislike about the product?
The interface can take some time to get used to, especially when working with more advanced DNS and traffic configurations.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
The integrations are useful for connecting it with our existing tools, and the overall value is good when you consider the reliability it provides.
Jashawne J.
Makes Getting a Lot Done Easy—Turns Beginners Into Pros
Reviewed on Aug 11, 2026
Review provided by G2
What do you like best about the product?
It’s way easier to get a lot done it helps in major ways it’s the future it literally can take someone with no experience and make them a pro
What do you dislike about the product?
I wish that it was more updated with reality and csn thibk for it self instead of just using information that humans feed if
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Yes it’s benefiting me in major ways because it knows way more then me
Consumer Services
BM NS21 Makes My Work Duties Easier
Reviewed on Aug 11, 2026
Review provided by G2
What do you like best about the product?
It’s amazing how BM NS21 helps me enhance my duties at work.
What do you dislike about the product?
No dislike at all, being honest everything works fine till now.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
It helps me discover other ways to fix a failure and troubleshoot my routine in several aspects.
Jitendra Saroj
Intelligent traffic control has improved DNS automation and now routes global API requests reliably
Reviewed on Aug 10, 2026
Review provided by PeerSpot
What is our primary use case?
My main use case for IBM NS1 Connect is handling DNS traffic and routing traffic. A specific example of how I use IBM NS1 Connect to route traffic is routing the API, the websites' API, and the apps from IBM Connect.
What is most valuable?
The best features IBM NS1 Connect offers are API deployment and automating DNS traffic routing, such as changing during deployment or incidents. The auto DNS traffic routing helps during deployment or incidents by providing more reliability and faster performance. In addition to these features, IBM NS1 Connect offers traffic gain, traffic steering, real-time failover, multi-CDN, performance-aware routing, and operational visibility. IBM NS1 Connect has positively impacted my organization through its intelligent traffic control layer, as it is not just a static domain name service, but an intelligent service.
What needs improvement?
I believe IBM NS1 Connect can be improved in several ways. The main concern I identified is the cost, which is higher than other solutions despite its uses. Additionally, they could improve their health check before routing traffic. Another improvement would be to automate changes through CI/CD. During deployment, the use of API to shift traffic gradually is an aspect I think they can improve. I believe they could do this gradually, such as 5%, 25%, or 50%, which would reduce the risk compared to switching everything at once.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using IBM NS1 Connect for a year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
IBM NS1 Connect is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
For scalability, it mainly means we can handle large traffic volume, domain records, and complex global routing. It helps us to authenticate the DNS network, traffic steering, and API-driven operations.
How are customer service and support?
The customer support is the best, as they are always available.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have not previously used a different solution, as this is my first DNS work.
How was the initial setup?
My advice to others looking into using IBM NS1 Connect is that you can go with IBM NS1 Connect, but you should do better tutorials and practice.
What was our ROI?
I have seen a return on investment mainly in time saved, and since it is AI-based, fewer employees are needed.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Before choosing IBM NS1 Connect, I did not evaluate other options, as my first option was IBM.
What other advice do I have?
Regarding IBM NS1 Connect's AI capabilities, the accuracy and reliability of output involve least privileged API keys, API key rotation, secret management, and monitoring and alerting, with alerts on critical DNS changes. In terms of IBM NS1 Connect's AI capabilities, its governance and security provide good security, such as DNS control, since DNS changes can cause outages and redirect traffic incorrectly. There is clear control around who can change DNS and how changes are approved, through role-based access control, separation of duties, and auto audit logging. The least privileged API keys, test failover, regular test failovers, improved observability, and added rollback logic are fields that need improvement. I would rate IBM NS1 Connect an eight out of ten.