Domain Name System For Dummies

Dns is a name service that provides a standardized system for providing names to identify tcp ip hosts as well as a way to look up the ip address of a host given the host s dns name.

Domain name system for dummies. Whenever you want to call somebody you have to either dial their telephone number from your memory or search the contact name in your phone book. In the same way that a gps needs a street address or a zipcode to provide directions a web browser needs a domain name to direct you to a website. One of the most fundamental instruments of the internet is the domain name system or dns. That server tells the client which dns server hosts the next part of the dns name and the client then queries that server.

What is a domain name. The collection of host name to ip address mappings contained with the dns database is also known as a namespace. When you enter a domain name in your web browser it first sends a request to a global network of servers that form the domain name system dns. This is precisely why dns has become a significant attack vector used by bad actors.

To understand how domain names actually work we will take a look at what happens when you enter it in your browser. Domain name system or dns for short is one of the key components for accessing the internet in this article we ll discuss dns in simpler terms and dive a bit deeper. To provide a unique dns name for every host computer on the internet dns uses a time tested technique. Domain name system is an integral part of internet infrastructure that is designed to work fast and efficiently as already discussed in this post newer protocols like dnssec doh dnscurve are trying to make dns more private and secure.

Although many people think dns stands for domain name server it really stands for domain name system. Essentially when looking for a name in dns the dns client first checks a top level dns server database. Domains explained for beginners. Dns is in its basic form is kind of like the phone book on your mobil e phone.

It delivers the accessibility and connectivity we all take for granted while acting as a cornerstone for all online activity. The domain name system dns is one of the longest serving mission critical technologies of the modern internet.