🏁 Project Sunset (2026)

SiftDNS

Privacy-First DNS Infrastructure

A production-ready DNS privacy service that was built from the ground up. Delivered enterprise-grade ad blocking and privacy protection through custom filtering infrastructure, having served real customers with 99.9% uptime and zero-logging guarantees.

Designed & Built by A. Michael Tatum

🔒 Service Archived
630K+ Peak Domains Blocked
$3/mo Proven Revenue Model
99.9% Historical Uptime
100% Customer Satisfaction

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
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Technical Innovation

Built a scalable, high-availability DNS service with comprehensive filtering, zero logging, and direct root server queries for maximum privacy and performance.

  • Geo-redundant High Availability (HA) architecture
  • Auto-scaling cloud infrastructure
  • Intelligent load balancing and failover
  • 100% auditable blocklist transparency
  • Direct root server authority queries
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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 (Offer Sunset)
  • Clear competitive differentiation
  • Measurable performance improvements
  • Strong customer testimonials and retention
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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
  • Deep malware threat blocking
  • DDoS protection and rate limiting
  • Monthly infrastructure patching & hardening
  • 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

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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 630K+ domain blocklist (and growing) with recursive caching for performance.

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Root DNS Servers

Direct queries to authoritative root servers ensuring privacy and eliminating third-party dependencies.

SiftDNS Network Architecture Diagram
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Infrastructure Design

Cloud-native architecture built for scalability, reliability, and global performance.

  • Geo-redundant HA deployment across regions
  • Auto-scaling based on traffic patterns
  • Redundant DNS server configuration
  • Automated backup and disaster recovery
  • Real-time health monitoring and alerting
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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
  • Monthly security patching and hardening cycles
  • Performance optimization and tuning

Technology Stack

Modern cloud infrastructure with automation, monitoring, and security best practices throughout the entire technology stack.

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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
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Security & Privacy

  • Zero-logging DNS architecture
  • Deep Malware Blocking
  • DDoS protection and security hardening
  • Advanced firewall rules and rate limiting
  • Direct root server query implementation
  • Monthly infrastructure patching
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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
DNS Filtering
Threat Intelligence
DigitalOcean
Ansible
Load Balancer
DDoS Protection
Stripe API
DNS Caching
Linux Systems
DNS Protocol
HTML/CSS
JavaScript

Results & Impact

Measurable improvements in user experience, performance metrics, and business outcomes with documented customer success stories.

Key Performance Metrics

<50ms Average Response Time
66% Latency Reduction
630K+ Blocked Domains (and growing)
99.9% Uptime Achieved
🎮

Gaming Performance

"Latency reduced from 27ms to 9ms" - Customer reported 66% improvement in gaming performance through optimized DNS resolution and reduced ISP throttling.

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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.

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User Experience

"Like the old internet where content had focus" - Users report significantly improved browsing experience with faster page loads and cleaner interfaces.

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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
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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