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What is DNS?
DNS, or the Domain Name System, is a crucial component of the internet's
functionality, acting as the directory that facilitates the translation of human-friendly
domain names into machine-readable IP addresses. When you type a website's
name into a browser, DNS is responsible for finding the correct IP address associated
with that name so your browser can load the correct webpage.

Here's a breakdown of how DNS works:

 Domain Names: These are the readable addresses you use to visit websites,
like www.example.com.

 IP Addresses: Every device connected to the internet has a unique IP address

which is a series of numbers that routers and switches use to ensure data
packets reach their correct destination.

 DNS Lookup Process: When you enter a domain name into your browser,
your device sends a query to a DNS server to request the corresponding IP
address. Here's the step-by-step process:
 Resolver: Your computer’s DNS resolver first checks if it already knows
the IP address from recent lookups, stored in its cache.
 Root Servers: If the resolver doesn't have the information, it queries
one of the root DNS servers. The root servers don’t know the IP
address either, but they can direct the resolver to DNS servers that
manage the top-level domain (e.g., .com, .net).
 TLD Servers: The resolver next goes to the appropriate top-level
domain (TLD) DNS server (e.g., the server for .com addresses if you’re
looking for example.com). This server won't know the exact IP address
but will know where to direct the resolver next.
 Authoritative DNS Servers: Finally, the resolver reaches the
authoritative DNS server for the specific domain. This server has the
actual IP address and sends it back to the resolver.

 Caching: To speed up future requests, DNS resolvers store the results in a

local cache. This caching can occur at multiple levels, including in your
browser, your router, and your internet service provider’s DNS servers.

DNS is a distributed and hierarchical system, meaning it isn't reliant on a single

central database, but instead, its data is spread across many servers worldwide. This
structure helps increase the robustness and speed of the internet. Additionally,
changes to DNS records, such as those needed for setting up DMARC, are done
through updating DNS zone files, which are then propagated through the internet's
DNS servers.

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