Domain Name Servers, commonly called “DNS” for short, keep IP addresses organized and documented. IP addresses, comprised solely of numeral characters, are incredibly difficult for human users to remember, but they’re also necessary for the internet to locate and transfer data. To enable these users to locate data on the web, domain names are often created to replace IP addresses. DNS serves as the link between these domain names and their corresponding IP addresses.
Why is DNS Important?
Without DNS, users would struggle to navigate the internet. The web is made up of billions upon billions of IP addresses, so expecting users to locate the data they want using only these numeric character strands is out of the question. Imagine the confusion! Domain name servers make it possible for users to request data by retrieving specific domains, such as “urpad.net” or “rootleveltech.com.” Much simpler!
How Does DNS Work
DNS actually comprise their own network. Since these servers are all intertwined, they are able to continue posing queries amongst themselves until the correct data is located and properly transferred. Since they serve as a directory, in a sense, if one DNS receives a request for information that it cannot process, the query is bounced to another DNS and so on until the proper information is found.
Managing Your Own DNS
Because managing DNS (the servers themselves) can be complicated, most people choose to let third-party hosting providers take care of them. There are some, however, who elect to manage their own DNS. The first step to doing this is to establish a server that can be dedicated to domain naming. The next step is outfitting the chosen server with the most appropriate software. Popular examples include BIND, Tinydns and PowerDNS. Once the software is chosen, the server must be configured. Over time, domain name servers must be managed as any other servers, requiring regular backups, maintenance and software upgrades. At the end of the day, managing your own DNS is a personal choice.