What is ip anycast?
Tags: cdn, cloudflare, ip anycast, network
Anycast technology is one of the latest technologies in the internet, it is better to say that is a methodology.
We have some methodologies in the market like anycast, multicast, unicast, geocast, broadcast.I just want to write more about anycast on this post.
Unicast is one machine addressed on one ip address but any cast is many machines or servers addressed on one unique ip address.
I say an example to better know it:
For example ip address 1.2.3.4 is assigned to a server in Arizona, this is unicast.
Anycast: ip 1.2.2.2 assigned to many machines all around the globe, first server in LA, second in San Francisco, third in Berlin. the same ip address but many servers can accept requests with ip address 1.2.2.2.
Anycast causes speed and more speed, for example if you traceroute an anycast ip from northern California the closest server that is located in Los Angles will answer the request
This cause less hops and speed ups the finding process.
Image below helps you better undestand ip anycast
Now many DNS providers like DNSMADEEASY, CloudFlare, etc.. use anycast technology to serve dns qureies as fast as possible.
Some benefits of ip Anycasted technology is high availability, avoids attacks and can migrate attacks from DDos attacks, can divide traffics to multiple machines, faster answers from nearest locations.
Are you interested in anycasted based services? i suggest you to use dnsmadeeasy.com as your anycasted dns provider or CloudFlare as anycasted content delivery network.