Project Overview
A comprehensive solution addressing internet privacy, ad blocking, and DNS performance through innovative infrastructure design and sustainable business model execution.
Problem & Market Need
ISP DNS tracking affects millions globally, while existing ad-blocking solutions require complex software installations or lack comprehensive filtering coverage.
- ISP DNS logging and data monetization
- Fragmented ad-blocking ecosystem
- Complex setup and maintenance requirements
- Limited filtering scope and effectiveness
- Privacy concerns with free DNS services
Technical Innovation
Built a scalable, high-availability DNS service with comprehensive filtering, zero logging, and direct root server queries for maximum privacy and performance.
- Multi-region DNS server deployment
- Auto-scaling cloud infrastructure
- Intelligent load balancing and failover
- Comprehensive blocklist aggregation (430K+ domains and growing)
- Recursive caching for optimal performance
Business Success
Created a sustainable subscription service with proven customer demand, technical differentiation, and measurable user benefits in the competitive DNS market.
- Profitable subscription revenue model
- 30-day free trial with high conversion
- Clear competitive differentiation
- Measurable performance improvements
- Strong customer testimonials and retention
Development Approach
Full-stack development from infrastructure automation to customer experience, with emphasis on reliability, security, and user experience.
- Infrastructure as code with Ansible
- Automated deployment and configuration
- Comprehensive monitoring and alerting
- Security-first architecture design
- User-centered interface design
Performance Results
Achieved significant performance improvements over traditional DNS services with measurable latency reductions and reliability metrics.
- 66% latency reduction (27ms → 9ms gaming)
- Sub-50ms average response times
- 99.9% uptime SLA achievement
- Complete ad blocking effectiveness
- Zero customer complaints about service quality
Privacy & Security
Implemented true zero-logging architecture with end-to-end privacy protection and security best practices throughout the entire system.
- Zero DNS query logging policy
- Direct root server queries (no third-party dependencies)
- DDoS protection and rate limiting
- Encrypted connections and secure infrastructure
- Privacy-by-design architecture
System Architecture
Designed for high availability, performance, and privacy with automatic scaling, intelligent failover, and comprehensive monitoring capabilities.
DNS Request Processing Flow
Client Device
User configures device DNS settings to point to SiftDNS servers. No software installation required.
Cloud Load Balancer
Managed load balancer distributes queries across multiple DNS servers with automatic failover.
DNS Filtering Engine
Real-time filtering against 430K+ domain blocklist (and growing) with recursive caching for performance.
Root DNS Servers
Direct queries to authoritative root servers ensuring privacy and eliminating third-party dependencies.
Infrastructure Design
Cloud-native architecture built for scalability, reliability, and global performance.
- Multi-region deployment across data centers
- Auto-scaling based on traffic patterns
- Redundant DNS server configuration
- Automated backup and disaster recovery
- Real-time health monitoring and alerting
Operational Excellence
Comprehensive automation and monitoring ensuring consistent service delivery and rapid issue resolution.
- Infrastructure as code deployment
- Automated configuration management
- Continuous monitoring and alerting
- Automated security updates and patches
- Performance optimization and tuning
Technology Stack
Modern cloud infrastructure with automation, monitoring, and security best practices throughout the entire technology stack.
Infrastructure & DevOps
- DigitalOcean cloud platform deployment
- Ansible automation & configuration management
- Managed load balancing with health checks
- Automated backup and disaster recovery
- Comprehensive monitoring and alerting systems
- Infrastructure as code practices
Security & Privacy
- Zero-logging DNS architecture
- Recursive local DNS caching
- DDoS protection and security hardening
- Advanced firewall rules and rate limiting
- Direct root server query implementation
- Secure protocols and encrypted connections
Business & Integration
- Stripe payment processing and subscriptions
- Automated billing and customer management
- Email automation and customer communication
- Support ticket system integration
- Analytics and conversion tracking
- Customer feedback and testimonial collection
Results & Impact
Measurable improvements in user experience, performance metrics, and business outcomes with documented customer success stories.
Key Performance Metrics
Gaming Performance
"Latency reduced from 27ms to 9ms" - Customer reported 66% improvement in gaming performance through optimized DNS resolution and reduced ISP throttling.
Ad Blocking Effectiveness
"No ads at all on Google searches or major news sites" - Complete ad blocking across platforms without browser extensions or software installations.
User Experience
"Like the old internet where content had focus" - Users report significantly improved browsing experience with faster page loads and cleaner interfaces.
Business Validation
Proven market demand with sustainable subscription revenue model and positive customer feedback driving organic growth.
- Sustainable $3/month pricing model
- High free trial to paid conversion rate
- Strong customer retention and satisfaction
- Organic growth through word-of-mouth
Technical Excellence
Demonstrated ability to build, deploy, and operate production-grade infrastructure with enterprise-level reliability.
- 99.9% uptime achievement
- Zero major service outages
- Automated scaling and failover
- Comprehensive monitoring and alerting
Project Resources
Explore the live service, comprehensive documentation, customer testimonials, and technical implementation details.
Live Production Service
Visit the production SiftDNS website and explore the full service offering
Technical Documentation
Comprehensive setup guides and technical documentation for all platforms
Customer Success Stories
Real user testimonials and documented performance improvements
Live System Monitoring
Real-time uptime monitoring, performance metrics, and service status
Contact A. Michael Tatum
Discuss this project, technical implementation, or collaboration opportunities
Privacy & Security Details
Comprehensive privacy policy and security architecture documentation