Here’s a quick rundown of the most useful DNS terms. Learning the complex structure of the Domain Name System as a beginner can be extremely frustrating. But, if we start explaining, everything will become much more straightforward and make more sense.
Domain Name System (DNS)
The Domain Name System, or DNS, is a critical component of the Internet. It’s a global naming database that converts internet domain names to IP addresses (Internet Protocol). DNS is a multi-level hierarchical system that is decentralized. Humans no longer need to remember long and complicated numbers (for example, 213.45.178.32) in order to access and explore every website thanks to this technology. Instead, visitors can type the domain name directly into their browser and go to their selected web page.
Dynamic DNS
Dynamic DNS is the second term in our list of DNS terms. Dynamic DNS (DDNS) has the advantage of automatically updating and changing the host’s IP address.
The A or AAAA DNS entries in classical DNS connect the domain name to the IP address. Dynamic DNS ensures that the user may still access the domain name even if the IP address is changed by the ISP. It is a really easy-to-use solution that also happens to be quite helpful.
Domain name
Another really important term is the domain name. It is a line of text used to map an IP address. We use it to visit websites by writing memorable and straightforward names rather than their numerical addresses, known as IP addresses. For example, instead of 213.45.178.32, we type example4domain.net. So the domain name here is example4domain.net.
IP address
The Internet Protocol (IP) uses an identifier called an IP address to name hosts on the Internet. IANA creates and assigns each IP address, which is completely unique. Furthermore, they are a prerequisite for devices to communicate and exchange information over a network. Today we divide the IP addresses into two categories: IPv4 and IPv6.
Example for IPv4 – 213.45.178.32
Example for IPv6 – 50f1:dc4:0:0:0:ffff:d52d:b220
DNS records
Let’s continue with the next term – the DNS records. They are text files that contain information about the Domain Name System. Every domain has a different amount and variety of DNS records. In addition, they represent the domain’s many entities and settings. For example, the most popular records are – SOA, A, PTR, MX, etc.
DNS query
The process of finding the IP address (an A record or an AAAA record) or different DNS records of a domain we known it as a DNS query. For example, when a customer requests information, it creates a DNS query.
DNS server
And the last important term on our list is the DNS servers. They are split into two categories: authoritative name servers and recursive name servers.
- Authoritative name servers keep track of a particular zone’s zone file. Furthermore, they are the only ones who can respond to DNS queries. The root server, TLD server, and authoritative name server for a certain domain are examples of such servers.
- The objective of recursive name servers is to collect the DNS query from the user and then search for the required information. To do so, these servers pass through a series of servers until they get the solution. Consider them to be the intermediary between users and authoritative name servers.
DNS Commands
Ping, Dig, Host, and MTR are four essential DNS commands for testing network connectivity that every DNS Administrator needs to know. Each of these commands can be used in different ways to investigate DNS-related issues, like server availability, evaluating DNS query latency, and troubleshooting DNS problems. With the help of these commands, DNS administrators have the tools necessary to diagnose issues and ensure reliable internet performance quickly.
Conclusion
DNS is a multi-component system that aims to make the Internet user experience more pleasant. To sum up, you can now confidently state that you are conversant with the basic DNS terms. They are the basis upon which everything else is built.