Using dig to test Filter Chain processing

After configuring a Filter Chain and editing relevant answer metadata, you can use the dig command tool to test DNS responses based on your configuration. In the command, you must specify the record domain and one of the IBM® NS1 Connect® nameservers assigned to the zone.

dig <domain> @<NS1_nameserver>

The following screenshot shows an example configuration in the NS1 Connect portal for an A record associated with the domain examplezone.com. The record contains four answers and the Filter Chain includes the Up, Shuffle, and Select First N filter which is a common configuration for active-active failover.

To test the DNS response for this record, you would open a command-line tool and run the following dig command:

dig examplezone.com @dns1.p04.nsone.net

Note: You can locate the NS1 Connect nameservers assigned to a zone by navigating to the zone settings and clicking the Nameservers tab.

The response reflects the actual DNS response that would be returned for this record. The answer(s) are listed under the ANSWER SECTION header.

; <<>> DiG 9.10.6 <<>> examplezone.com @dns1.p04.nsone.net
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 1638
;; flags: qr aa rd; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 1
;; WARNING: recursion requested but not available

;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 1232
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;examplezone.com.		IN	A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
examplezone.com.	3600	IN	A	198.0.2.191

;; Query time: 21 msec
;; SERVER: 2620:4d:4000:6259:7:4:0:1#53(2620:4d:4000:6259:7:4:0:1)
;; WHEN: Mon Nov 06 17:46:12 EST 2023
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 60; <<>> DiG 9.10.6 <<>> examplezone.com @dns1.p04.nsone.net;; global options: +cmd;; Got answer:;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 1638;; flags: qr aa rd; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 1;; WARNING: recursion requested but not available;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 1232;; QUESTION SECTION:;examplezone.com.		IN	A;; ANSWER SECTION:examplezone.com.	3600	IN	A	198.0.2.191;; Query time: 21 msec;; SERVER: 2620:4d:4000:6259:7:4:0:1#53(2620:4d:4000:6259:7:4:0:1);; WHEN: Mon Nov 06 17:46:12 EST 2023;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 60

In this case, the answer is a result of the Filter Chain removing unavailable answers (if applicable), shuffling the list of answers randomly, and then selecting the first answer in the list.