DNS, Domain Name System

A DNS helps to simplify the process of surfing on the internet. It enables users to connect to networks and remote services by making use of a user-friendly domain instead of the numerical IP address. For instance, it is much easier to remember a domain name such as www.mycite.com than it’s IP address that may read something like this: 207:131.165.50. A DNS can be viewed as an electronic index for computer networks. Organizations maintaining computer networks typically use at least one server for managing DNS queries. These computers are called name servers; they contain a list of all IP addresses in the network along with a cache of IP addresses for computers most recently accessed outside of the network. Depending on if a request was made within or outside of a local network, one of three things may occur upon request: 1. An instant response from an IP address located in the network 2. An instant response from an IP address located outside of the network stored in a cache 3. A delayed response or error message from an IP address that goes unused for some time or isn’t registered.