Lack of proper email authentication is one of the reasons why your emails are being sent to spam. One of the most crucial authentication mechanisms for email is the Sender Policy Framework (SPF), a DNS record that prevents email spoofing — which is when scammers send messages that may appear as a legitimate email. It specifies which mail servers are allowed to send emails on behalf of a domain.
However, a long SPF record with excessive DNS lookups can lead to email delivery issues and even SPF PermErrors due to DNS lookup limits.
To remedy this, the SPF authentication process must be implemented by email users. SPF flattening helps with the simplification of an SPF record by reducing the number of required DNS lookups while maintaining its functionality. Let us understand this further and uncover its importance to email deliverability and overall email performance.
The Challenges of SPF: Understanding Common Issues
SPF operates by defining a list of authorized mail servers in domain’s DNS records by using the TXT Record Format.
Usually, when a recipient receives an email, the email server checks the sender’s SPF record. This helps to confirm if the sender’s domain is authenticated and authorized.
SPF records, however, have a limitation. It is restricted to a limit of 10 DNS lookups. But what will happen if the limit is exceeded?
If the server confirmed that a domain is using multiple email providers, the SPF record may exceed this limit. This phenomenon results in an SPF PermError.
If an email user experienced an SPF PermError, their emails would most likely be marked as spam or rejected entirely, causing significant damage to their email deliverability.
Manage your SPF: Common Issues with SPF Records
Too Many DNS Lookups
Each “include” mechanism in an SPF record requires a DNS query. If an SPF record exceeds 10 lookups, it becomes invalid.
SPF PermErrors
When a domain’s SPF record is too long or has too many DNS lookups, email service providers may reject emails from that domain.
Complex SPF Records
Over time, SPF records can become difficult to manage as new email services are added.
Slow DNS Resolution
A long SPF record can slow down email authentication checks, impacting email performance.
SPF Flattening is a process that can resolve these issues. It helps simplify SPF records while maintaining its functionality and compliance.
What Is SPF Flattening: Understanding the Mechanisms in your SPF Record
SPF flattening is the process of replacing multiple “include” statements with their corresponding IP addresses, thereby reducing the number of required DNS lookups. This keeps the SPF record under the 10 DNS lookup limit while still authorizing the same mail servers.
How SPF Flattening Works
Identify All “Include” Mechanisms in the SPF Record
Using SPF Flattening, SPF record is evaluated to confirm if it possesses any “include” mechanisms.
Resolve Each “Include” to its Associated IP Addresses
After evaluating an SPF record, if there is an “include” mechanism, the flattening process will perform a DNS lookup to search the SPF record it points to.
Replace “Include” Statements with Direct IP Addresses
This process will repeat until every “include” statement are restored with the actual IP address.
Ensure the SPF Record Remains Within the DNS Lookup Limit
Make the record more concise, individual IP addresses should be consolidated into IP ranges, if possible.
Remove Unnecessary Qualifiers
SPF flattening optimizes SPF records by reducing unnecessary includes and consolidating IP ranges but does not modify SPF policy qualifiers unless required.
SPF flattening simplifies authorization of email servers to send emails on behalf of the domain, and overall SPF record management. It makes the SPF record more efficient, and reduces the probability of SPF PermErrors.
Avoid Unreasonable Load: Why You Should Perform SPF Flattening?
Reducing DNS Lookups
SPF has a limit of 10 lookups, SPF flattening helps reduce the number of DNS queries required, which ensures compliance with SPF policies.
Development of Email Deliverability
Optimization of SPF records minimize errors and boost authentication results. SPF flattening makes it less likely for your emails to be rejected, marked as spam, or blacklisted.
SPF Management Optimization
SPF Flattening contributes to the removal of unnecessary “include” statements. This makes it easier to manage and update your SPF records and maintain an optimized email system.
Upgrade DNS Resolution Speed
In order to obtain a faster email authentication and improve overall email performance, undergoing SPF flattening can help. It reduces the number of external DNS queries that decreases lookup time.
SPF Flattening Example
Let’s take a real-world example of an SPF record before and after SPF flattening.
Original SPF Record (Before Flattening)
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:spf.protection.outlook.com include:_spf.mailchimp.com include:_spf.salesforce.com ~all
This record contains four “include” statements, each requiring a DNS lookup. If these email providers include additional includes within their SPF records, the lookup count can easily exceed the 10-query limit.
Flattened SPF Record (After Flattening)
v=spf1 ip4:74.125.0.0/16 ip4:23.103.128.0/19 ip4:205.201.128.0/20 ip4:13.110.0.0/16 ~all
- Instead of referencing external SPF records, the “include” statements have been replaced with IP addresses.
- SPF flattening reduces DNS lookups by replacing ‘include’ statements with IP addresses, but some lookups remain necessary for authentication.
- The SPF record still functions correctly by authorizing the same mail servers.
SPF Flattening Tools
To flatten your SPF record, you need to employ an SPF record flattening tool to guarantee a simplified SPF record. Incorporating these tools, can help you develop your email deliverability
Warmy.io SPF and DMARC Record Generator
Email providers use SPF information to validate incoming email, and having a valid SPF record helps establish trust with these providers.
However, having an SPF flattening is not enough.
Warmy is well-known for its free email deliverability test that can help you understand any problems you can encounter that might damage your deliverability.
Warmy also offers a free SPF and DMARC Record Generators that helps with the configuration of SPF records which is instrumental for the improvement of email security. It helps with authentication, prevents phishing and legacy and instructs email recipients how to handle messages that fail authentication.
MXToolbox SPF Record Checker
MXToolbox offers an SPF analysis tool that helps identify excessive DNS lookups and suggests ways to optimize SPF records.
DMARCLY SPF Flattening Tool
DMARCLY provides an automatic SPF flattening solution, dynamically updating SPF records to stay within DNS limits.
DuoCircle SPF Compression Service
DuoCircle offers an SPF compression tool that helps reduce SPF complexity and avoid authentication failures.
SendLayer SPF Optimization
SendLayer provides SPF flattening recommendations to prevent email delivery failures due to excessive DNS queries.
Ethical and Best Practices for SPF Flattening
The following are the necessary considerations you need to employ to maintain a functional and optimized SPF record.
Regularly Auditing of SPF Records
Review SPF records periodically to remove unused email providers.
Research and Utilize Reputable SPF Flattening Tool
Automated solutions contribute to the prevention of manual errors and keep SPF records up to date.
Monitor Any Potential SPF Changes
Some third-party email services update their IP addresses regularly, so it’s essential to check for changes.
Implementation of DMARC and DKIM Generators
SPF alone is not enough; using DMARC and DKIM authentication strengthens email security.
Use Warmy as your Online SPF Record Checker
Using an online SPF record checker can help verify its correctness before making DNS updates.
Warmy’s free SPF and DMARC generator tool is the perfect online SPF record checker for this initiative.
But having an SPF record checker would not suffice to improve your email deliverability. You need to conduct email deliverability audits and utilize various resources to ensure that you have a reputable email domain.
Fortunately, Warmy is an automated all-in-one tool to improve email deliverability that can make your email channel reputable and reliable.
Besides its free email deliverability test, free SPF and DMARC record generator it offers the following features to give your email performance a boost.
DNS Records Testing
Warmy.io has a DNS records testing which can help you test up to 100 DNS records maintaining an optimal email deliverability. This is vital for confirming if your emails are indeed being received by your recipient and if they are landing on their inboxes.
Email Warmups
Sending a high volume of messages can raise some questions for many ISPs and email servers, it harms the trustworthiness of your email domain. Warmy’s email warmups contributes to the improvement of your email’s reputation by gradually and automatically increasing the volumes of emails you can send, for up to 5,000 emails per day.
Email Seed List
Besides SPF flattening, incorporating seed listing is an instrumental tool to improve your email performance testing and increase your brand’s reputation.
Warmy’s email seed list, supplies genuine email addresses — either from Gmail and Outlook — that act as seeds for testing your email deliverability.
Inbox Placement Dashboard
Obtain accurate data or reports of where your emails are landing when you send emails to recipients. Warmy’s Inbox placement dashboard helps you determine if your emails are being routed to your recipient’s inbox, spam, unreceived, or promotion.
Customer Success Support, and Deliverability Consultant
We offer 24/7 customer support, via Zoom calls, and chat support, not only for navigating our website, system and tools, but also guarantee that you achieve your long-term goals and acquire reputable emails through our email deliverability programs.
Don’t just acquire an SPF Flattening tool! Start your free 7-day trial, or book a demo and start improving your email deliverability today!
