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What is DNS?

Last Updated: January 16, 2012

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DNS stands for Domain Name System. For a typical user, the most important function of DNS is the translation (resolution) of domain names (e.g., www.extension.org) to the corresponding Internet Protocol (IP) address (e.g.,152.46.27.154).

For web browsers to communicate with servers and request resources, the IP address of the server must be used. It would be awkward to have to know and enter the IP address of a server, and IP addresses may change frequently. The Domain Name System allows the user to enter a domain name in the browser or by clicking on a link that refers to a site by name.

The browser then works with your computer through a DNS resolver to determine the corresponding IP address. If the local resolver doesn’t have the IP address in its cache, it will send one or more requests to other resolvers on its network or the Internet to determine the correct IP address.

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