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HOW DOMAIN NAME SYSTEM 
WORKS 
By: 
Gurkamal Deep Singh Rakhra 
gurkamaldeep@live.com
CONTENTS 
• Definition 
• Devices involved 
• Working 
• Demo
DOMAIN NAME SYSTEM (DEFINITION) 
• The DNS translates Internet domain and host names to IP 
addresses. DNS automatically converts the names we type in 
our Web browser address bar to the IP addresses of Web 
servers hosting those sites. Source 
• We do so because it is easy to remember names than to 
remember long decimal numbers. For example www.uta.edu 
maps to 129.107.56.31
DEVICES INVOLVED 
• DNS Server (it translates easily memorized domain names to 
the numerical IP addresses needed for the purpose of locating 
computer services and devices worldwide). 
• Laptop/PC/mobile phone etc. 
• Main server hosting the site.
WORKING
STEP 1: REQUESTING INFORMATION 
• When we enter the URL in the web browser, the first place our 
computer looks is its local DNS cache, which stores information 
that our computer has recently retrieved. 
• If our computer doesn’t already have it, it needs to perform a 
DNS query to find out.
STEP 2: ASKING RECURSIVE DNS SERVERS 
• If our computer does not have the domain name in its local 
cache, then it requests the DNS server of our ISP. 
• If it has the information, the process ends here and the reply is 
sent back to our computer.
STEP 3: ASKING ROOT NAME SERVER 
• If DNS server does not have the information, then it asks Root 
Name servers. 
• A name server is a computer that answers questions about 
domain names, such as IP addresses. They can direct our query 
to someone that knows where to find it.
STEP 4: ASKING TOP-LEVEL DOMAIN (TLD) NAME 
SERVERS 
The root name servers will look at the first part of our request, 
reading from right to left — www.abc.com — and direct our 
query to the Top-Level Domain (TLD) name servers for .com. 
Each TLD, such as .com, .org, and .us, have their own set of 
name servers, which act like a receptionist for each TLD. 
These servers don’t have the information we need, but they can 
refer us directly to the servers that do have the information. 
PICTURE SOURCE: WWW.MICROSOFT.COM
STEP 5: ASKING AUTHORITATIVE DNS 
SERVER 
• The TLD name servers review the next part of our request — 
www.abc.com — and direct our query to the name servers 
responsible for this specific domain. These authoritative name 
servers are responsible for knowing all the information about a 
specific domain, which are stored in DNS records. 
PICTURE SOURCE: WWW.MICROSOFT.COM
STEP 6: RETRIEVING THE RECORD 
• The recursive server retrieves the record for abc.com from the 
authoritative name servers and stores the record in its local 
cache. If anyone else requests the host record for abc.com, the 
recursive servers will already have the answer and will not need 
to go through the lookup process again. All records have a 
time-to-live(TTL) value, which is like an expiration date.
STEP 7: RECEIVING THE REPLY 
• Recursive server returns the record back to your computer. Our 
computer stores the record in its cache, reads the IP address 
from the record, then passes this information to the browser. 
The browser then opens a connection to the webserver and 
receives the website.
FLOW DIAGRAM 
User 
Recursive DNS server 
Root Name Server 
TLD Name Server 
Authoritative Server
THE WHOLE PROCESS TAKES ONLY 
MILLISECONDS TO COMPLETE.
DEMO
3. That’s in my 
cache. It maps 
to this IP: 
129.107.56.31 
4. Great I’ll 
cache it for 
some time in 
case I get more 
requests. 
1. I need 
directions to 
www.uta.edu 
DNS 
Server 
DNS Server 
5. Thank 
you.

More Related Content

Domain Name System

  • 1. HOW DOMAIN NAME SYSTEM WORKS By: Gurkamal Deep Singh Rakhra gurkamaldeep@live.com
  • 2. CONTENTS • Definition • Devices involved • Working • Demo
  • 3. DOMAIN NAME SYSTEM (DEFINITION) • The DNS translates Internet domain and host names to IP addresses. DNS automatically converts the names we type in our Web browser address bar to the IP addresses of Web servers hosting those sites. Source • We do so because it is easy to remember names than to remember long decimal numbers. For example www.uta.edu maps to 129.107.56.31
  • 4. DEVICES INVOLVED • DNS Server (it translates easily memorized domain names to the numerical IP addresses needed for the purpose of locating computer services and devices worldwide). • Laptop/PC/mobile phone etc. • Main server hosting the site.
  • 6. STEP 1: REQUESTING INFORMATION • When we enter the URL in the web browser, the first place our computer looks is its local DNS cache, which stores information that our computer has recently retrieved. • If our computer doesn’t already have it, it needs to perform a DNS query to find out.
  • 7. STEP 2: ASKING RECURSIVE DNS SERVERS • If our computer does not have the domain name in its local cache, then it requests the DNS server of our ISP. • If it has the information, the process ends here and the reply is sent back to our computer.
  • 8. STEP 3: ASKING ROOT NAME SERVER • If DNS server does not have the information, then it asks Root Name servers. • A name server is a computer that answers questions about domain names, such as IP addresses. They can direct our query to someone that knows where to find it.
  • 9. STEP 4: ASKING TOP-LEVEL DOMAIN (TLD) NAME SERVERS The root name servers will look at the first part of our request, reading from right to left — www.abc.com — and direct our query to the Top-Level Domain (TLD) name servers for .com. Each TLD, such as .com, .org, and .us, have their own set of name servers, which act like a receptionist for each TLD. These servers don’t have the information we need, but they can refer us directly to the servers that do have the information. PICTURE SOURCE: WWW.MICROSOFT.COM
  • 10. STEP 5: ASKING AUTHORITATIVE DNS SERVER • The TLD name servers review the next part of our request — www.abc.com — and direct our query to the name servers responsible for this specific domain. These authoritative name servers are responsible for knowing all the information about a specific domain, which are stored in DNS records. PICTURE SOURCE: WWW.MICROSOFT.COM
  • 11. STEP 6: RETRIEVING THE RECORD • The recursive server retrieves the record for abc.com from the authoritative name servers and stores the record in its local cache. If anyone else requests the host record for abc.com, the recursive servers will already have the answer and will not need to go through the lookup process again. All records have a time-to-live(TTL) value, which is like an expiration date.
  • 12. STEP 7: RECEIVING THE REPLY • Recursive server returns the record back to your computer. Our computer stores the record in its cache, reads the IP address from the record, then passes this information to the browser. The browser then opens a connection to the webserver and receives the website.
  • 13. FLOW DIAGRAM User Recursive DNS server Root Name Server TLD Name Server Authoritative Server
  • 14. THE WHOLE PROCESS TAKES ONLY MILLISECONDS TO COMPLETE.
  • 15. DEMO
  • 16. 3. That’s in my cache. It maps to this IP: 129.107.56.31 4. Great I’ll cache it for some time in case I get more requests. 1. I need directions to www.uta.edu DNS Server DNS Server 5. Thank you.