namebench assesses a list of DNS servers you provide in order to determine which provide the fastest responses. namebench runs a fair and thorough benchmark using datasets in order to provide an individualized recommendation. This project began as a 20% project at Google but has been modified to assess name servers of a specified host verse finding optimal name servers for general DNS resolution.
namebench runs on Mac OS X, Windows, and UNIX, and is available with a graphical user interface as well as a command-line interface. GUI not supported with this version at the moment.
Requirements:
- You have added your domains records to the name server to use, e.g.
dig www.domain.com @nameserverwill resolve for each respective name server you plan to test. - Python 2.4 - 2.7. If you are using Mac OS X or Linux, this is built-in. Otherwise, visit http://www.python.org/ Only tested using Python 2.7.x on Debian Linux and OS X.
Edit data/domain-list.txt and the [global] section of config/server_sources.cfg with the name servers you want to benchmark. Then run:
sudo ./namebench.py -i data/domain-list.txt -z config/server_sources.cfg -x
namebench comes with two interfaces: a simple graphical interface, and a more advanced command-line interface. If you have downloaded the versions for Mac OS X and Windows, you will get the graphical interface by default. GUI not supported with this version at the moment.
namebench includes some wonderful third party software:
- dnspython 1.12.0 (http://www.dnspython.org/)
- httplib2 0.6.0 (http://code.google.com/p/httplib2/)
- graphy 1.0 (http://graphy.googlecode.com/)
- jinja2 2.2.1 (http://jinja.pocoo.org/2/)
- python 2.5 pkg_resources (http://www.python.org/)
- simplejson 2.1.1 (http://code.google.com/p/simplejson/)
- Crystal SVG icons (http://www.everaldo.com/crystal/)
For licensing information, see the LICENSE file within the appropriate subdirectory.
Usage: namebench.py [options]
Options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-r RUN_COUNT, --runs=RUN_COUNT
Number of test runs to perform on each nameserver.
-z CONFIG, --config=CONFIG
Config file to use.
-o OUTPUT_FILE, --output=OUTPUT_FILE
Filename to write output to
-t TEMPLATE, --template=TEMPLATE
Template to use for output generation (ascii, html,
resolv.conf)
-c CSV_FILE, --csv_output=CSV_FILE
Filename to write query details to (CSV)
-j HEALTH_THREAD_COUNT, --health_threads=HEALTH_THREAD_COUNT
# of health check threads to use
-J BENCHMARK_THREAD_COUNT, --benchmark_threads=BENCHMARK_THREAD_COUNT
# of benchmark threads to use
-P PING_TIMEOUT, --ping_timeout=PING_TIMEOUT
# of seconds ping requests timeout in.
-y TIMEOUT, --timeout=TIMEOUT
# of seconds general requests timeout in.
-Y HEALTH_TIMEOUT, --health_timeout=HEALTH_TIMEOUT
health check timeout (in seconds)
-i INPUT_SOURCE, --input=INPUT_SOURCE
Import hostnames from an filename or application
(alexa, cachehit, cachemiss, cachemix, camino, chrome,
chromium, epiphany, firefox, flock, galeon, icab,
internet_explorer, konqueror, midori, omniweb, opera,
safari, seamonkey, squid, sunrise)
-I, --invalidate_cache
Force health cache to be invalidated
-q QUERY_COUNT, --query_count=QUERY_COUNT
Number of queries per run.
-m SELECT_MODE, --select_mode=SELECT_MODE
Selection algorithm to use (weighted, random, chunk)
-s NUM_SERVERS, --num_servers=NUM_SERVERS
Number of nameservers to include in test
-S, --system_only Only test the currently configured system
- nameservers.
-w, --open_webbrowser
Opens the final report in your browser
-u, --upload_results Upload anonmyized results to SITE_URLl (default:
False)
-U SITE_URL, --site_url=SITE_URL
URL to upload results to
(http://namebench.appspot.com/)
-H, --hide_results Upload results, but keep them hidden from indexes.
-x, --no_gui Disable GUI
-C, --enable-censorship-checks
Enable censorship checks
-6, --ipv6_only Only include IPv6 name servers
-O, --only Only test nameservers passed as arguments
namebench 1.3.1 - data/shortlist.txt (automatic) on 2015-07-17 18:50:02.760017
threads=40/2 queries=250 runs=1 timeout=3.5 health_timeout=3.75 servers=5
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Reading data/shortlist.txt: data/shortlist.txt (0.0MB)
- Generating tests from data/shortlist.txt (1 records, selecting 250 automatic)
- Selecting 250 out of 1 sanitized records (weighted mode).
Odd - no built-in nameservers found.
- Checking query interception status...
- Checking connection quality: 1/3...3/3
- Congestion level is 0.09X (check duration: 3.66ms)
- Checking latest sanity reference
- Checking nameserver availability (23 threads): 0/23............23/23
- 23 of 23 servers are available (duration: 0:00:00.530555)
- Removing secondary nameservers slower than 16.85ms (max=400)
- Running initial health checks on 23 servers (23 threads): 0/23............23/23
- 23 of 23 tested name servers are healthy
- Waiting for wildcard cache queries from 23 servers (23 threads): 0/23............23/23
- Waiting 4s for TTL's to decrement.
- Running cache-sharing checks on 23 servers (40 threads): 0/506...........................................................................................................................................................................342..................................................................................505x.506/506
- Running final health checks on 23 servers (23 threads): 0/23............23/23
Final list of nameservers considered:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2001:470:200::2 HE 2 IPv6 4 ms | Responded with: NOERROR
216.218.131.2 HE 2 5 ms | Responded with: NOERROR
2001:470:300::2 HE 3 IPv6 5 ms | Responded with: NOERROR
216.66.80.18 HE 5 5 ms | Responded with: NOERROR
2400:cb00:2049: CF Ram IPv6 5 ms | Responded with: NXDOMAIN, Responded with: REFUSED
216.218.130.2 HE 1 5 ms | Responded with: NOERROR
216.66.1.2 HE 4 6 ms | Responded with: NOERROR
2001:470:500::2 HE 5 IPv6 6 ms | Responded with: NOERROR
173.245.59.225 CF Ram 6 ms | Responded with: NXDOMAIN, Responded with: REFUSED
216.218.132.2 HE 3 6 ms | Responded with: NOERROR
2600:3c03::a Linode 4 IPv6 6 ms | Responded with: REFUSED
2001:470:400::2 HE 4 IPv6 6 ms | Responded with: NOERROR
173.245.58.113 CF Erin 6 ms | Responded with: NXDOMAIN, Responded with: REFUSED
207.192.70.10 Linode 4 7 ms | Responded with: REFUSED
2400:cb00:2049: CF Erin IPv6 9 ms | Responded with: NXDOMAIN, Responded with: REFUSED
75.127.96.10 Linode 3 18 ms | Responded with: REFUSED
2600:3c02::a Linode 3 IPv6 19 ms | Responded with: REFUSED
2600:3c00::a Linode 1 IPv6 38 ms | Responded with: REFUSED
69.93.127.10 Linode 1 39 ms | Responded with: REFUSED
2a01:7e00::a Linode 5 IPv6 60 ms | Responded with: REFUSED
65.19.178.10 Linode 2 62 ms | Responded with: REFUSED
2600:3c01::a Linode 2 IPv6 62 ms | Responded with: REFUSED
109.74.194.10 Linode 5 66 ms | Responded with: REFUSED
- Sending 250 queries to 23 servers: 0/5750..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................1173.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................2327....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................3497...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4691.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................5750/5750
- Error querying Linode 3 IPv6 [2600:3c02::a]: www.rsreese.com.: Timeout
- Error querying HE 2 [216.218.131.2]: www.rsreese.com.: Timeout
- Error querying Linode 4 [207.192.70.10]: www.rsreese.com.: Timeout
- Error querying Linode 4 IPv6 [2600:3c03::a]: www.rsreese.com.: Timeout
- Error querying Linode 4 [207.192.70.10]: www.rsreese.com.: Timeout
- Error querying Linode 4 IPv6 [2600:3c03::a]: www.rsreese.com.: Timeout
- Error querying Linode 4 [207.192.70.10]: www.rsreese.com.: Timeout
- Error querying Linode 3 IPv6 [2600:3c02::a]: www.rsreese.com.: Timeout
Fastest individual response (in milliseconds):
----------------------------------------------
HE 4 ## 1.51706
HE 2 ## 1.54209
HE 5 ## 1.55783
HE 5 IPv6 ## 1.56593
HE 3 ## 1.57809
HE 3 IPv6 ## 1.58215
HE 2 IPv6 ## 1.59001
HE 4 IPv6 ## 1.62697
HE 1 ## 1.64413
CF Erin ## 2.01702
CF Ram ## 2.03323
CF Ram IPv6 ## 2.07806
CF Erin IPv6 ## 2.16198
Linode 4 ### 3.99184
Linode 4 IPv6 #### 4.15397
Linode 3 ############### 20.12897
Linode 3 IPv6 ################ 20.98393
Linode 1 IPv6 ################################ 42.27901
Linode 1 ################################# 43.82300
Linode 5 IPv6 #################################################### 69.56506
Linode 2 IPv6 #################################################### 69.89813
Linode 5 ##################################################### 70.48488
Linode 2 ##################################################### 71.46811
Mean response (in milliseconds):
--------------------------------
HE 4 ## 2.42
HE 3 ## 2.50
HE 5 ## 2.50
HE 2 IPv6 ## 2.56
HE 3 IPv6 ## 2.58
HE 4 IPv6 ## 2.62
HE 5 IPv6 ## 2.68
HE 1 ## 2.78
CF Ram ### 3.80
CF Erin IPv6 ### 4.35
CF Ram IPv6 ### 4.50
CF Erin #### 6.11
HE 2 ########### 16.42
Linode 3 ################## 26.99
Linode 4 IPv6 ####################### 35.70
Linode 1 IPv6 ############################### 47.72
Linode 1 ################################ 49.34
Linode 4 ################################ 49.83
Linode 3 IPv6 ############################################ 67.76
Linode 5 IPv6 ############################################### 73.06
Linode 2 IPv6 ################################################# 75.02
Linode 2 ################################################# 75.70
Linode 5 ##################################################### 82.70
Response Distribution Chart URL (200ms):
----------------------------------------
http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=lxy&chs=720x415&chxt=x,y&chg=10,20&chxr=0,0,200|1,0,100&chd=t:0,1,2,2,3,131|0,0,86,93,97,100|0,1,2,2,4,82|0,1,82,93,98,100|0,1,2,3,4,54|0,0,84,94,98,100|0,1,2,2,4,55|0,0,82,91,97,100|0,1,2,3,8|0,0,92,97,100|0,1,1,1750|0,0,97,100|0,1,2,2|0,0,96,100|0,1,2,3,3|0,0,94,99,100|0,1,2,4|0,0,97,100|0,1,1,3|0,0,97,100|0,1,2,5|0,0,96,100|0,1,2,3,4|0,0,96,100,100|0,1,2,2,7|0,0,93,98,100|0,22,23,24,25,26,26,27,28,29|0,0,16,39,61,78,91,96,100,100|0,21,23,23,24,25,26,26,28,30|0,0,13,46,67,79,89,95,98,100|0,36,36,37,38,39,39,41,87|0,0,7,46,78,87,93,97,100|0,35,36,37,38,39,40,46|0,0,13,51,66,91,97,100|0,10,11,12,12,13,14,15,15,22,24,41|0,0,5,36,63,72,78,82,86,93,98,100|0,10,11,12,13,13,15,16,16,18,1750|0,0,5,36,58,75,81,86,94,98,100|0,2,3,3,4,5,6,6,9,1750|0,0,7,46,74,84,90,94,98,100|0,2,3,4,4,5,6,8,1750|0,0,8,56,74,87,94,98,100|0,35,37,37,38,39,40,40,42,43,44,45,46,48,50,75|0,0,4,14,30,41,50,55,59,64,74,83,90,93,97,100|0,35,35,36,37,38,39,40,44|0,0,7,46,83,92,96,100,100&chco=ff9900,1a00ff,ff00e6,80ff00,00e6ff,fae30a,BE81F7,9f5734,000000,ff0000,3090c0,477248f,ababab,7b9f34,00ff00,0000ff,9900ff,405090,051290,f3e000,9030f0,f03060,e0a030&chxt=x,y,x,y&chxl=2:||Duration+in+ms||3:||%25|&chdl=CF+Erin|CF+Erin+IPv6|CF+Ram|CF+Ram+IPv6|HE+1|HE+2|HE+2+IPv6|HE+3|HE+3+IPv6|HE+4|HE+4+IPv6|HE+5|HE+5+IPv6|Linode+1|Linode+1+IPv6|Linode+2|Linode+2+IPv6|Linode+3|Linode+3+IPv6|Linode+4|Linode+4+IPv6|Linode+5|Linode+5+IPv6
Response Distribution Chart URL (Full):
---------------------------------------
http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=lxy&chs=720x415&chxt=x,y&chg=10,20&chxr=0,0,3500|1,0,100&chd=t:0,0,0,0,0,8|0,0,86,93,97,100|0,0,0,0,0,5|0,1,82,93,98,100|0,0,0,0,0,3|0,0,84,94,98,100|0,0,0,0,0,3|0,0,82,91,97,100|0,0,0,0,0|0,0,92,97,100|0,0,0,100|0,0,97,100|0,0,0,0|0,0,96,100|0,0,0,0,0|0,0,94,99,100|0,0,0,0|0,0,97,100|0,0,0,0|0,0,97,100|0,0,0,0|0,0,96,100|0,0,0,0,0|0,0,96,100,100|0,0,0,0,0|0,0,93,98,100|0,1,1,1,1,1,2,2,2,2|0,0,16,39,61,78,91,96,100,100|0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,2,2|0,0,13,46,67,79,89,95,98,100|0,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,5|0,0,7,46,78,87,93,97,100|0,2,2,2,2,2,2,3|0,0,13,51,66,91,97,100|0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,2|0,0,5,36,63,72,78,82,86,93,98,100|0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,100|0,0,5,36,58,75,81,86,94,98,100|0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,100|0,0,7,46,74,84,90,94,98,100|0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,100|0,0,8,56,74,87,94,98,100|0,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,3,3,3,3,3,4|0,0,4,14,30,41,50,55,59,64,74,83,90,93,97,100|0,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2|0,0,7,46,83,92,96,100,100&chco=ff9900,1a00ff,ff00e6,80ff00,00e6ff,fae30a,BE81F7,9f5734,000000,ff0000,3090c0,477248f,ababab,7b9f34,00ff00,0000ff,9900ff,405090,051290,f3e000,9030f0,f03060,e0a030&chxt=x,y,x,y&chxl=2:||Duration+in+ms||3:||%25|&chdl=CF+Erin|CF+Erin+IPv6|CF+Ram|CF+Ram+IPv6|HE+1|HE+2|HE+2+IPv6|HE+3|HE+3+IPv6|HE+4|HE+4+IPv6|HE+5|HE+5+IPv6|Linode+1|Linode+1+IPv6|Linode+2|Linode+2+IPv6|Linode+3|Linode+3+IPv6|Linode+4|Linode+4+IPv6|Linode+5|Linode+5+IPv6
Recommended configuration (fastest + nearest):
----------------------------------------------
nameserver 216.66.1.2 # HE 4
nameserver 216.218.131.2 # HE 2
nameserver 216.66.80.18 # HE 5
********************************************************************************
In this test, HE 4 is 3.2%: Faster
********************************************************************************
- Saving report to /tmp/namebench_2015-07-17_1851.html
- Saving detailed results to /tmp/namebench_2015-07-17_1851.csv
Most of these are likely not relevant to this modified version.
See http://code.google.com/p/namebench/wiki/FAQ for more recent updates.
- What does 'NXDOMAIN Hijacking' mean?
This means that the specific DNS server returns a false entry when a non-existent record is requested. This entry likely points to a website serving a 'Host not found' page with banner ads.
- What does 'www.google.com. may be hijacked' mean?
This means that when a user requests 'www.google.com', they are being silently redirected to another server. The page may look like it's run by Google, but it is instead being proxied through another server. For details, try using the host command. In this case, this particular IP server is redirecting all traffic to http://google.navigation.opendns.com/
% host www.google.com. 208.67.220.220 Using domain server: Name: 208.67.220.220 Address: 208.67.220.220#53 Aliases:
www.google.com is an alias for google.navigation.opendns.com. google.navigation.opendns.com has address 208.67.217.230 google.navigation.opendns.com has address 208.67.217.231
- What does 'google.com. may be hijacked' mean?
The same as above, but it is a rarer condition as it breaks http://google.com/
- What does 'thread.error: can't start new thread' mean?
It means you are using too many threads. Try restarting namebench.py with -j8
- What does 'unhealthy: TestWwwGoogleComResponse <class 'dns.exception.Timeout'>' mean?
It means the specified nameserver was too slow to answer you. If all of your nameservers are timing out, try restarting namebench.py with -Y 4