DNS, or Domain Name System, is a system used to provide a nameto an Internet service or resource, such as a website, email server, or online file storage. DNS translates the name into a physical address and directs data to the correct machine in order to complete a remote connection.
A DNS database is made up of records, and each record holds information about specific websites, IP addresses, and other services. The most commonly used record type are A records, which point a domain or subdomain to an IP address. Other record types can be used for a variety of purposes, such as pointing to different types of servers, setting up email delivery, creating aliases, and more.
When you type in a web address in your browser, it queries a DNS server in order to obtain the IP address associated with the domain name. Then, the browser sends a request to the IP address to retrieve the content associated with the web address.
The DNS system is also used to set up domains. When you register a domain name, the registrar keeps track of the domain’s DNS configuration and modifies the necessary records in order to point the domain to the web hosting server.
By ensuring that the right data is available to the right machines, DNS helps to make the Internet function – without DNS, websites, email, and other Internet services wouldn’t work. As such, DNS is an essential part of the Internet infrastructure.
