DNS server

A DNS server is a computer system that translates domain names into IP addresses. DNS servers are an essential part of the Internet, as they allow users to access websites by name instead of having to remember their numerical IP addresses.

When you type a domain name into your web browser, your computer contacts a DNS server to look up the IP address of the website. The DNS server then returns the IP address to your computer, which can then connect to the website.

DNS servers are typically run by Internet service providers (ISPs), but they can also be run by other organizations, such as businesses or schools. DNS servers are typically configured to use a hierarchical structure, with root servers at the top of the hierarchy and local servers at the bottom.

Root servers are responsible for maintaining the list of all top-level domains (TLDs), such as .com, .net, and .org. Local servers are responsible for maintaining the list of all second-level domains (SLDs), such as www.google.com and www.microsoft.com.

When a computer contacts a DNS server to look up an IP address, the DNS server first checks its own cache to see if it has the IP address stored. If the DNS server does not have the IP address in its cache, it will forward the request to a higher-level DNS server. This process continues until the IP address is found or the request reaches the root servers.

Once the IP address is found, the DNS server returns it to the computer that made the request. The computer can then connect to the website using the IP address.

DNS servers are an essential part of the Internet, as they allow users to access websites by name instead of having to remember their numerical IP addresses. DNS servers are typically run by ISPs, but they can also be run by other organizations, such as businesses or schools.

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Definition of: DNS. DNS. (Domain Name System) The Internet's system for converting alphabetic names into numeric IP addresses. For example, when a Web address (URL) is typed into a browser, DNS servers return the IP address of the Web server associated with that name.read more >>