Make DNS Zone
Transfers
Native Replication for Authoritative Server LMDB Backend with S3 Synchronization
Address the challenge of DNS zone transfers
Eliminates the need for complex and frustrating processes.
- No intricate configurations
- No time-consuming maintenance and operational hurdles
- No manual replication
- No need for multiple primary server setups
Address the complexity of native replication with SQL databases
Eliminates the need for SQL expertise.
- No SQL database knowledge required
- Reduces the workload for database administrators
- Minimizes operational complexity
Combine the best of SQL and LMDB
PowerDNS Lightning Stream makes synchronizing zone updates in the PowerDNS Authoritative Server seamless and efficient. It synchronizes changes between a local LMDB (Lightning Memory-Mapped Database) and an S3-compatible bucket in near real-time. This enables efficient one- or two-way replication, accelerating and scaling data transfer between authoritative PowerDNS instances.
Lightning Stream is especially beneficial for distributed and large-scale deployments. It significantly simplifies DNS replication and ensures a globally consistent view of the data within seconds. It supports the synchronization of zone data and DNSSEC keys across multiple PowerDNS Authoritative Servers, even in environments with multiple concurrent write operations.
Key Benefits:
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Replication between data centers with S3 bucket synchronization
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Ensures provisioning continues even in the event of a data center failure
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Supports both one-way and two-way synchronization


Lightning Stream for Enterprise
Lightning Stream for Enterprise extends the scope of Lightning Stream by introducing incremental synchronization. Incremental synchronization is a true game-changer for large-scale PowerDNS deployments. Instead of transferring entire databases, only the changes are synchronized between authoritative servers and S3 storage, reducing data transfer volumes significantly. For organizations with frequent updates to large databases, this means:
Much Faster Replication
Updates propagate between authoritative instances in just a few seconds.
Lower Bandwidth Consumption
Instead of gigabytes, only a few megabytes of changes are transmitted per synchronization.
Improved Efficiency
The reduced volume of data to transfer reduces the load on infrastructure and storage resources.
Regular Full-Syncs
Full database synchronizations are still sent on at regular configurable intervals.
Unite the Benefits
LMDB with Lightning Stream serves as the default backend for cloud-native deployments of the Authoritative Server using PowerDNS Cloud Control. PowerDNS Cloud Control provides a centralized management layer for DNS servers, while Lightning Stream ensures lightning-fast synchronization between them. Together, they deliver a highly available, scalable, and fault-tolerant DNS infrastructure — ideal for large or distributed networks.
Centralized Management
Just like Cloud Control, Lightning Stream enables seamless synchronization, allowing for a unified central management system. DNS zone data changes are automatically propagated in real-time across multiple PowerDNS servers.
Faster, More Reliable DNS Synchronization
Cloud Control can automatically create new zones or DNSSEC keys, and Lightning Stream immediately distributes these changes to all connected DNS servers.
High Availability & Fault Tolerance
Synchronization ensures that changes are instantly available across all servers. In case of a server failure, others continue to handle requests, with each server capable of both reading and writing.
Scalability for Large Networks
Lightning Stream efficiently synchronizes even massive zone databases without performance loss. It is perfect for cloud-native DNS infrastructures, as servers can operate independently.

Lightning Stream Benefits at a Glance

Speed & Scalability
Based on LMDB backend, the fastest Authoritative Server backend with scalability to very large numbers of zones and records.

Low Operational Complexity
No need for SQL database knowledge. S3 buckets are provided "as a service" by internal or external PaaS.

Enables Up-to-date Architectures
Multi-primary architectures across multiple data centers and secondary-style architectures.

Cloud-native DNS
Default backend for PowerDNS cloud-native deployments with PowerDNS Cloud Control. Ideal for large or distributed networks.
Contact us to learn more about PowerDNS Lightning Stream.