A DNS (Domain Name System) server is responsible for translating domain names into IP (Internet Protocol) addresses. When a user types a domain name into a web browser, the browser communicates with the DNS server to obtain the corresponding IP address. The DNS server retrieves the IP address from a database and returns it to the browser, allowing the website to be accessed.
The DNS system is hierarchical, with multiple levels of servers. The root DNS servers are responsible for directing requests to the appropriate top-level domain (TLD) servers, such as .com, .org, or .net. These TLD servers then direct requests to the appropriate second-level domain servers, such as google.com or wikipedia.org. Each server caches frequently requested IP addresses, which helps to speed up the lookup process and reduce network traffic.
When a DNS query is received, the DNS server checks its cache first to see if the requested domain name and corresponding IP address are already stored. If the domain name is not in the cache, the server queries other DNS servers until it finds the IP address associated with the domain name. Once the IP address is found, it is returned to the querying device, allowing it to connect to the requested website or service.
Overall, the DNS system plays a crucial role in the functioning of the internet, allowing users to easily access websites and services using human-readable domain names rather than complex IP addresses.
