Google launches Cloud Domains to help businesses manage their domain names

Google LLC today introduced the preview version of Cloud Domains, a service that will allow Google Cloud customers to maintain their domain names through the same console they use to manage infrastructure resources as a service.

The service could also help businesses improve their cybersecurity posture in the process.

Setting up a domain name usually involves the use of at least two different services. Admins need to purchase the domain from a registrar, then connect to their company’s DNS server in another tab and link the newly purchased URL to the target website. A DNS server is a kind of switchboard responsible for ensuring that when a user enters a URL into their browser, the browser will load web pages from the correct servers.

Cloud Domains enables the entire process to be carried out via the Google Cloud Console. Customers have the option of purchasing new domains from the search giant’s Google Domains registration service. To configure their DNS server, they can use Google’s Managed Cloud DNS platform.

Google has added a number of additional amenities, including the ability to configure DNSSEC security features with one click. DNSSEC is a technology that helps ensure the integrity of web content passing through DNS servers. It was created to reduce the risk posed by threats such as so-called cache poisoning attacks, which use vulnerable DNS servers to hijack legitimate URLs and redirect users to malicious websites.

In addition to allowing the registration and configuration of domains, Cloud Domains provides features to facilitate their day-to-day management. For businesses, the most important functionality will probably be the integration of the service with Google’s Cloud IAM user access control tool.

Cloud IAM allows you to create very granular rules to control who can change the settings of a domain name and view information about its configuration. The tool’s capabilities could allow corporate Google Cloud customers to secure sensitive domains, like those of their corporate websites, to a greater extent than ever before. Many domain name providers offer security tools, but they are not always as comprehensive as those available in major public clouds.

Centralization is another advantage. For existing Google Cloud customers who already rely on Cloud IAM to protect their environments, the tool may be a more convenient way to manage domain access than external security controls from a third-party registrar.

For the more tech-savvy users, Cloud Domains provides an application programming interface alongside the graphical management console. The API allows domain names to be linked to external IT tools and to automate administration tasks.

Google is not new to domain names. The company launched its Google Domains domain name registration service in 2015 and operates one of the largest public DNS services in the world, processing more than one trillion web requests per day since 2018.

Amazon Web Services Inc. and Microsoft Corp., Google’s main competitors in the cloud, also offer domain management capabilities on their respective platforms.

Image: Google