What is a Domain Name Server? A Beginner’s Guide

As a site owner, it is crucial to understand the technical aspects of the internet and how your website works. One of the critical elements of your website that makes it reachable online is its domain name. You create a website and decide to call it by a name. 

Next, you register this name as the domain name of your site. Finally, the IP address of the web server where your site resides is linked to the domain name. These domain names are easy-to-remember names that are a better alternative to the numeric strings for IP addresses. 

You can also conduct a domain name search to ensure your domain name is unique and not similar to any other business. In this article, we will discuss Domain Name Servers and their role in making your site available online via your domain name.

Understanding a Domain Name Server

Do you know the IP address of Google? Probably not. This is because this is the job of the domain name server. It creates the link between the IP address of the web server of a website and its domain name. 

You can also visit Google’s site by typing its IP address into the web browser. However, since it is difficult to remember IP addresses, domain names were created.

When you enter the domain name into the web browser, a request is sent to the domain name server to find the corresponding IP address. Once the domain server finds the address, it shares it with the browser. Finally, the browser uses the IP address to connect with the server to request that site data be displayed. 

How Domain Name Servers work

Here is a quick look at the working of a domain name server:

Before we start, it is essential to note that four types of DNS Servers help in loading a web page:

1.       DNS Resolver

2.       Domain Root Name Server

3.       TLD Name Server

4.       Authoritative Name Server

Receiving the request

When entering a domain name into your web browser, it sends a request to the domain name system. The DNS Resolver receives this.

Request verification (information available)

On receiving the request, the resolver checks to see if t has details about the IP address of the domain name. The IP address s sent to the web browser if it is available with the resolver. As a result, the browser connects with the domain name’s web server and displays the site.

Request verification (information not available)

This is where the DNS system does the complex work. If the resolver does not have the IP address of the domain name, then it initiates a query with the Root Name Server. In response, it receives the details of the TLD Name Server responsible for the TLD of the domain name requested.

Next, the query is sent to the TLD Server, which provides the details of the Authoritative Name Server for the said domain name. This server will hold the record for the domain name requested. When the Authoritative Server receives the request from the resolver, it responds with the IP address for the domain name.

Remembering that this entire process is completed within a fraction of a second is essential.

Conclusion

As a site owner, understanding how domain name servers work offers you a better grip on how your website is displayed online. To ensure that you manage your domain efficiently, make sure that you buy domains from a reputed and reliable domain registrar.

If you want to register a domain in NZ, look at the options available, including domain management, and compare them before signing the dotted line. Good Luck!