Source URL: https://blog.cloudflare.com/batched-dns-changes
Source: The Cloudflare Blog
Title: Making zone management more efficient with batch DNS record updates
Feedly Summary: In response to customer demand, we now support the ability to DELETE, PATCH, PUT and POST multiple DNS records in a single API call, enabling more efficient and reliable zone management.
AI Summary and Description: Yes
**Summary:** The text discusses the introduction of batched API calls to Cloudflare’s DNS records API, which allows customers to efficiently manage multiple DNS records in a single request. This enhancement addresses previous inefficiencies where custom scripts were used, and aims to improve API performance while ensuring the reliability of DNS record management.
**Detailed Description:**
The announcement about Cloudflare’s new API capability focuses on the introduction of a batch endpoint for DNS records, facilitating significant improvements in how customers manage their DNS resources. Key points include:
– **Batching Convenience:** Customers can now create, update, or delete multiple DNS records in one API call using four HTTP methods—POST, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE—streamlining operations that previously required bespoke scripts.
– **Improved Performance:**
– The API allows for batch changes without the need for multiple API calls, reducing overall latency significantly.
– Free tier customers can make 200 changes in one batch, while paid customers can make up to 3,500 changes, showcasing a scalable design.
– **Error Handling and Atomicity:**
– The batch process ensures actions are executed sequentially, minimizing conflict issues (e.g., attempting to create conflicting records).
– If any single action in the batch fails, the entire operation is rolled back, enhancing data integrity.
– **Database Efficiency:**
– Introduction of database batching that allows multiple SQL queries to be executed in a single network call, leading to a reduction in API latency from around 7 seconds for several records to under 1 second for batch operations.
– Notable results show improvements; for instance, average database times for creating and deleting records have decreased significantly (e.g., POST from 3.38ms to 0.967ms).
– **Feedback and Future Improvements:**
– Cloudflare is open to user feedback for further enhancements to the dashboard and API functionalities, indicating a commitment to customer-centric development.
**Implications:**
– For operations and security professionals, this update signifies a shift towards more efficient and reliable DNS management processes, potentially lowering the risk of errors and downtime related to DNS records.
– It reflects a wider trend in cloud services toward bundling operations for enhanced performance and user experience, which can lead to better service delivery in mission-critical environments.
In conclusion, the new batch API endpoint provides a robust solution for managing DNS records more effectively, crucial for infrastructure security and operational efficiency in the face of growing demands from web applications.