DNS · Definition
A record
A DNS record that associates a name with an IPv4 address.
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20 definitions · Website glossary
DNS,
explained.
Connect names to services and make sense of records, authority, and caching.
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DNS20
20 terms available
DNS · Definition
AAAA record
A DNS record that associates a name with an IPv6 address.
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Authoritative nameserver
A nameserver that answers from the DNS zone data it is responsible for serving.
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CAA record
A DNS Certification Authority Authorization record states which certificate authorities may issue certificates for a domain.
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CNAME record
A DNS record that makes one name an alias of another canonical name.
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DNS
The Domain Name System is a distributed system that answers queries about names using typed records.
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DNS cache
A temporary store of DNS answers kept to avoid repeating the same lookup immediately.
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DNS delegation
The assignment of authority for a child zone to nameservers, recorded in its parent zone.
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DNS propagation
An informal name for the period in which changed DNS data becomes visible through different servers and caches.
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DNS record
A typed piece of information associated with a name in a DNS zone.
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DNS TTL
Time to live specifies how long a DNS answer may remain in a cache before it needs refreshing.
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DNS zone
An administratively managed portion of the DNS namespace for which a server provides authoritative data.
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DNSSEC
A set of DNS extensions that lets validating resolvers check the authenticity and integrity of signed DNS data.
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MX record
A DNS record that identifies a mail exchanger for a domain and its preference value.
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Nameserver
A server that answers DNS questions, either using authoritative data or by resolving and caching answers.
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NS record
A DNS record that identifies a nameserver responsible for a zone.
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PTR record
A DNS record that points a name to another name, commonly used in reverse DNS lookup.
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Recursive resolver
A DNS service that finds an answer for a client by querying other servers as needed and usually caching results.
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SOA record
A Start of Authority record provides administrative and timing information for a DNS zone.
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TXT record
A DNS record containing text strings used by services for information or verification.
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Where should I start with the DNS glossary?
Start with zones and records, then follow the difference between authoritative data and cached answers.
- DNS zone: An administratively managed portion of the DNS namespace for which a server provides authoritative data.
- DNS record: A typed piece of information associated with a name in a DNS zone.
- Authoritative nameserver: A nameserver that answers from the DNS zone data it is responsible for serving.
Which terms explain why DNS answers can disagree?
- Authoritative nameserver: A nameserver that answers from the DNS zone data it is responsible for serving.
- Recursive resolver: A DNS service that finds an answer for a client by querying other servers as needed and usually caching results.
- DNS TTL: Time to live specifies how long a DNS answer may remain in a cache before it needs refreshing.
Which practical guides build on the DNS terms?
- Prepare a DNS change safely: Write down the exact record change, dependency checks, and verification evidence before editing a live DNS zone.
- Investigate conflicting DNS answers: Distinguish authoritative configuration, caching, and service behavior when two people appear to reach different destinations for the same name.