Understanding The Internet
Domain Name Servers: The Basics
Technically, domain names aren't necessary to access a website. This
is because with or without them, all websites can be accessed by
their corresponding IP address. What is an IP address? It is a
32-bit numerical identifier that indicates what machine a website is
on. The only problem is that for a human these numbers, (which come
in a series of 4 octets), can be extremely hard to remember. This is
why domain names were created. With a domain name a person can
access a website through a word or phrase, which offers much more
convenience than decimated octets.
In order for domain names to work, they must use domain name
servers, (also known as DNS). These are special computers that store
data pertaining to domain names and the IP addresses they point to.
It does this through a process known as reverse mapping. What
happens is after a domain name is entered, the domain name server
will look up its corresponding IP address in a directory service. It
will also correspond with other domain name services to see if they
have 'knowledge' of the IP address. This process is known as a
distributed database, since no 'official' entity is responsible for
updating information on other domain name servers.
How can a computer be turned into a domain name server? It has to
run DNS software. The most common DNS software is BIND, (which
stands for Berkeley Internet Name Domain). This, (along with other
types of DNS software), works in a hierarchal fashion. The beginning
of the hierarchy contains the character ''. It is called the
system's root. Underneath the root there are the domain extension
such as .com, .org, .net or .biz.
A domain name server must also have client computers to help conduct
its operation. These client computers are called nameservers and
resolvers. Nameservers are responsible for locating a domain name's
IP address. The resolvers, on the other hand, stores a list of all
other nameservers on the Internet. This list is used to help contact
these nameservers should a domain name's IP address not be stored in
the initial domain name server.
Should a web hosting company bother in investing in a domain name
server? It depends on how large their operation is. Smaller-scale
web hosting companies probably won't get much from such an
investment. However, if a company wants to attain the type of status
that sites like Godaddy.com have attained, it may want to consider
spending the money. Companies can get domain name servers from
enterprises that sell regular servers.
In conclusion, the domain name server can be considered the heart of
domain name functioning. Without them there would be no way a domain
name would be associated with an IP address, which is what is really
responsible for identifying computers on a network. This does not
mean it's essential for a web hosting company to invest in one,
especially since there are so many cheap domain name services they
could use instead. Yet, if they do get a domain name server, they
would have the ability to sell web hosting as well as domain names
to their customers.
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