Working with Synthetic DNS test profiles
The goal of a Synthetic DNS test is to prove periodically that a DNS server can resolve the IP address of a website, server, or host. You need the following information to create a DNS test profile.
• The name or IP address of the DNS server to be tested
• The IP address of a website (such as www.yahoo.com) whose IP address will be resolved periodically during the test
1. To find the DNS Server’s name and IP address, run the nslookup command. Important information is in bold.
C:\Users\Sam>nslookup www.yahoo.com
Server: clt1dmc-dnsp01.mycompany.com
Address: 10.46.18.11
Non-authoritative answer:
Name: fd-fp3.wg1.b.yahoo.com
Addresses: 2001:4998:58:c02::a9
98.139.180.149
98.139.183.24
Aliases: www.yahoo.com
> exit
In this case, the DNS server is clt1dmc-dnsp01.mycompany.com at address 10.46.18.11, and yahoo.com is found to have one IPv6 and two IPv4 addresses.
Using the wizard for a DNS test
To create, clone, edit, or delete a Synthetic DNS test profile
1. Choose Configure > All Settings > Monitor: Synthetic Testing to start the Synthetic Testing wizard.
2. Select an option:
– Create Synthetic Test Profile
– Clone Synthetic Test Profile (You can clone and customize an existing profile.)
– Edit Synthetic Test Profile
– Delete Synthetic Test Profile
3. To clone, edit, or delete, select an existing profile from the table below the options. If you selected create, clone, or edit, continue with the next steps.
4. Specify the high-level details for the Synthetic Test Profile:
– Active—Select the check box to make the profile active.
– Name—Specify a unique name for the profile. This field is required.
– Test Type—From the drop-down list, select DNS. This field is required.
– Test Frequency—Set now often the test will run.
– Timeout—Set the number of seconds that the test will wait for a response before giving up. This field is required.
5. If this test is associated with the performance of one or more applications, specify the following:
– Application—Specify the application names.
– Device—Specify the name(s) of the devices, if applicable. Additionally, a device can be the name of a region, business group, or other designator. These properties are passed to downstream Riverbed products for identifying and organizing Synthetic Test results.
6. Specify the following:
– Port—The default of 53.
– Lookup Hostname—Specify the name of a host whose IP address must be resolved (in the form hostname.domain.com, like www.yahoo.com).
– Expected IP Response—Specify the IP address that will indicate a successful test (such any one of the several known IP addresses of www.yahoo.com).
7. Select one or more test sources from which this test should be run.
8. Enter the name or IP address of one or more DNS Servers to be tested (such as clt1dmc-dnsp01.mycompany.com or 10.46.18.11).
9. Review the Synthetic Profile to be created/deleted.
If you need to make changes, click Previous.
When the information is correct, click Finish.