EveryDNS

EveryDNS.net was a free managed Domain Name System service founded in June 2001 by David Ulevitch. It served website operators who did not want to run their own authoritative DNS infrastructure, as well as organizations seeking a geographically distributed backup for existing DNS arrangements. At its peak, the service reportedly supported DNS for more than 135,000 domains and was described as one of the largest free DNS management providers of its era. The service offered several functions associated with domain and DNS administration. Customers could host DNS records on EveryDNS infrastructure, use dynamic DNS resolution, obtain AXFR zone-transfer service, and redirect domains through its domain2web feature. Donators could also use SPF TXT records, which were relevant to email-sender authentication and domain policy. The service's distributed DNS infrastructure was positioned as a way to reduce dependence on a single server or location and to provide resilience against outages and denial-of-service attacks. EveryDNS used a technical stack centered on Daniel J. Bernstein's TinyDNS implementation. MySQL and Perl were used to manage the data and TinyDNS hash tables, while PHP supported the web-based management interface. This combination allowed a relatively small service to provide automated DNS administration to a large number of domains without requiring each customer to maintain its own name servers. On January 7, 2010, EveryDNS was acquired by Dyn Inc., a larger provider of DNS and internet infrastructure services. The acquisition placed the free EveryDNS operation within Dyn's broader service portfolio. The brand later became associated with a major policy controversy when it removed WikiLeaks-related domains from its DNS entries in December 2010. EveryDNS said that the action followed its acceptable-use policy and was prompted by distributed-denial-of-service attacks that threatened the stability of its infrastructure; it stated that the decision was not based on a position regarding WikiLeaks' content. EveryDNS ultimately ceased operation as a standalone service. Its website was shut down on August 31, 2011, and all services were retired on September 9, 2011. Existing users were offered migration to equivalent Dyn services beginning approximately 90 days before the website closure. EveryDNS is therefore best understood as a discontinued internet infrastructure brand whose importance came from making managed DNS and backup DNS capabilities available at no charge to a large population of domain operators.

EveryDNS was established in June 2001 by David Ulevitch as a free DNS management service. Its core purpose was to provide authoritative DNS hosting for webmasters who lacked the expertise or infrastructure to operate their own name servers. It also served users who already maintained DNS systems but wanted a secondary provider for redundancy. This model was particularly useful because DNS availability affects whether users can locate a website or other internet service, and because distributing name servers across different networks and geographic locations can reduce the effect of outages or attacks. The service grew into a significant provider in the free DNS market. At one point it handled DNS services for more than 135,000 domains. Its offering extended beyond basic record hosting. Dynamic DNS resolution allowed changing network addresses to be associated with stable domain names, while AXFR support enabled zone transfers between DNS servers. A domain2web function provided redirection, and donators could use SPF TXT records for domain-based email policy. These features made EveryDNS useful to individual webmasters, small organizations, and operators looking for a no-cost secondary DNS arrangement. Its backend reflected an emphasis on lightweight, open internet infrastructure. EveryDNS used TinyDNS, the DNS server software created by Daniel J. Bernstein, together with MySQL and Perl for data handling and management of TinyDNS hash tables. PHP was used for the administrative web interface. The resulting system allowed DNS records and service operations to be managed through a web application rather than through manual administration by each customer. On January 7, 2010, Dyn Inc. acquired EveryDNS. Dyn was active in DNS and related internet services, so the transaction connected EveryDNS's large free user base and established service model with a broader commercial DNS infrastructure company. The service continued to operate under the EveryDNS identity for a period after the acquisition. The brand became internationally visible in December 2010 during the WikiLeaks DNS controversy. EveryDNS removed WikiLeaks-related domains from its DNS entries after reporting that distributed-denial-of-service attacks had threatened the stability of its infrastructure. In its public explanation, the company said it was enforcing its acceptable-use policy and was not taking a position on the content hosted by WikiLeaks. It stated that notices had been sent to the account contact and through other available communication channels before primary and secondary DNS entries were disabled. The action generated criticism because DNS removal made the affected domains harder to reach, while EveryDNS presented it as an infrastructure-protection decision intended to avoid placing other customers at risk. EveryDNS was discontinued in 2011. The website closed on August 31, and the remaining EveryDNS services were retired on September 9. Dyn offered users the opportunity to migrate to equivalent services beginning about 90 days before the website closure. The shutdown marked the end of EveryDNS as an operating brand. Historically, it represents an early large-scale free DNS provider that combined low-cost access, distributed DNS hosting, and practical management tools before being absorbed and subsequently retired by its parent company.

• 2011

  Website closure

  [1]EveryDNSen.wikipedia.org

  The EveryDNS website was shut down on August 31, with users directed toward migration options at Dyn.

• 2011

  Service retirement

  [1]EveryDNSen.wikipedia.org

  All EveryDNS services were retired on September 9, ending the brand's operations.

• 2010

  Acquisition by Dyn

  [1]EveryDNSen.wikipedia.org

  Dyn Inc. purchased EveryDNS on January 7, 2010.

• 2010

  WikiLeaks DNS controversy

  [1]EveryDNSen.wikipedia.org

  EveryDNS disabled WikiLeaks-related DNS entries in December after citing attacks against its infrastructure and its acceptable-use policy.

• 2001

  EveryDNS is founded

  [1]EveryDNSen.wikipedia.org

  David Ulevitch founded EveryDNS in June 2001 as a free DNS management and backup-DNS service.

A free, accessible DNS management and backup-DNS provider for webmasters and domain operators.

• DNS infrastructure · 2001

  Managed DNS hosting

  EveryDNS hosted authoritative DNS records for domains whose operators did not maintain their own DNS infrastructure. The service provided a web-managed alternative to operating name servers directly and was available at no charge to its users.

• DNS resilience · 2001

  Backup DNS service

  Users could use EveryDNS as a secondary or geographically distributed DNS provider alongside an existing implementation. The arrangement was intended to improve resilience when a primary DNS server or network became unavailable.

• Dynamic DNS

  Dynamic DNS resolution

  EveryDNS supported dynamic DNS resolution, allowing domain records to be associated with changing network addresses. This was useful for webmasters and other operators whose internet endpoints were not permanently fixed.

• DNS administration

  AXFR service

  The service offered AXFR support for DNS zone transfers, enabling DNS data to be exchanged between compatible name-server implementations and supporting secondary-DNS configurations.

• Domain services

  Domain2web redirection

  Domain2web provided domain redirection functionality, allowing a domain managed through EveryDNS to point visitors toward another web destination.

• 2010

  Removal of WikiLeaks-related DNS entries

  On December 2, 2010, EveryDNS removed WikiLeaks-related domains from its DNS entries. The company said that distributed-denial-of-service attacks had threatened the stability of its infrastructure and that the action followed its acceptable-use policy. It also said the decision was not a judgment on WikiLeaks' content. The incident prompted debate over the role of infrastructure providers in access to controversial online material.

  Source

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• 2011

  Retire EveryDNS and migrate users to DynStrategy

  Background

  Dyn decided to discontinue the EveryDNS service and consolidate users onto equivalent Dyn offerings.

  Action taken

  The EveryDNS website closed on August 31, 2011, services ended on September 9, and users were offered migration options beginning approximately 90 days before closure.

  Aftermath

  EveryDNS ceased to operate as a standalone brand.

  Source

• 2010

  Accept acquisition by Dyn Inc.M&A

  Background

  EveryDNS operated a large free DNS service, while Dyn provided broader commercial DNS and internet infrastructure services.

  Action taken

  Dyn Inc. purchased EveryDNS on January 7, 2010.

  Aftermath

  EveryDNS continued for a period under Dyn ownership before its services were retired in 2011.

  Source

• 2010

  Disable WikiLeaks-related DNS recordsStrategy

  Background

  EveryDNS said distributed-denial-of-service attacks associated with WikiLeaks-related domains threatened the stability of its infrastructure and other users' service.

  Action taken

  The company first disabled primary DNS-hosted domains and then secondary DNS-hosted domains, following notice to the associated account and other available communication channels.

  Aftermath

  The decision caused public controversy over infrastructure access and content-neutral enforcement of service policies.

  Source

1. 1EveryDNSen.wikipedia.org