DNS
Definition
DNS stands for Domain Name System. It is the system that translates human-readable domain names like example.com into IP addresses that computers use to identify servers on the internet. Without DNS, users would need to remember long numerical IP addresses to access websites.
DNS functions like the Internet’s phonebook. When a user enters a domain into a browser, DNS finds the corresponding IP address and directs the request to the correct server.
Advanced
At an advanced level, DNS operates through a distributed hierarchy of servers. It involves root servers, top-level domain servers, and authoritative name servers. DNS records such as A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, and TXT control how traffic is routed, email is managed, and ownership is verified.
Modern DNS providers offer additional features such as load balancing, redundancy, failover, and DNSSEC for added security. Advanced setups may integrate with CDNs and cloud hosting to improve performance and resilience.
Why it matters
Use cases
Metrics
Issues
Example
A business configures DNS records to point its domain to a hosting provider and set up email routing. Properly configured DNS ensures the website loads quickly and emails are delivered reliably.