Name Servers (NS): Key Elements of DNS Infrastructure

Name servers: what is it?

A website domain name written in Latin or Cyrillic is extremely convenient for users – it is easy to remember and write in the address bar. However, technology requires a different address, expressed not in letters, but in numbers. Special name servers perform real-time conversion. What is behind this concept? What functions do they perform? How do they work?

General concept

A name server, often referred to in the literature by the abbreviation “NS”, is used to convert domain names specified by users in the address bar into digital IP addresses necessary for interaction between computer and network equipment. Both direct and reverse conversion are supported.

Main functions

In addition to the main task, transforming domain names into IP addresses, the NS server also performs some additional ones:

• Submitting an error notification when entering an incorrect, non-existent address.
• Issuing data about the server where the subdomains are located.
• Caching data, which eliminates the need to re-download them from the Internet, increases the speed of opening pages.

On your first visit, you may encounter a rather long wait for the site to open, however, on subsequent visits, the problem is eliminated due to caching.

Server Classification

Ensuring high speed of opening sites, maximum user convenience - all this is possible through the use of various name servers. They are represented by three main categories:

• Primary. The main ones that respond to all user requests.
• Secondary. They respond in case of unavailability of the main server, or its overload, due to which it cannot cope with timely processing of requests.
• Caching. This name server helps to increase the speed of the two previous ones, unload them during periods of maximum user activity.

When classifying servers, you can also focus on the conditions of their use. The following options are available:

• Provided by the company that registered the domain name. In this situation, to start using it, it is enough to indicate the IP address of the site.
• Free. This name server is available to anyone, access is open. The advantage of this format is that it is free, the disadvantage is low levels of reliability and security.
• Paid, provided by specialized organizations. In fact, this scheme assumes that the name server is used under a lease agreement.
• Provided by the provider providing hosting services. The most common and popular category, almost all companies are ready to issue a name server upon the client's request.

What are child NS servers?

Servers are usually owned by providers providing hosting services. In this case, when arranging a lease, you can get at your disposal not only the main, but also an auxiliary host. It is formed on the basis of the base domain and, accordingly, is located on the main server, which allows for free use.

When setting up name records on the “native” hosting, where the domain purchase was previously made, you can limit yourself to specifying names and saving edits. As a rule, their entry is automated, occurs without additional manipulations immediately with the registration of the site.

NS server settings

For the name server to function correctly, it must be properly configured, specify the appropriate records, first of all, the following:

• NS – the most important record, necessary for determining the addresses assigned to the domain name.
• A – binding the site to a specific IP address that complies with the IPv4 standard. It is allowed to enter several records of this type at once, to bind to different addresses.
• AAAA – a record identical to the previous one, however, oriented to the IPv6 protocol.
• MX – records the name of the server that should receive e-mail for the main domain name. There may also be several of these records, and their differences in priority are acceptable.
• TXT – any data, such as user data, can be saved in this record on the name server.
• SOA – a record designed to save service information, in particular – the latest changes and updates.

The stability of the site and the effectiveness of the implementation of strategies related to marketing and promotion depend on how correctly the name server is configured. For example, correctly entered MX records help to strengthen the reputation when actively using mail services; with a high probability, the sent letter will not end up in the spam group. TXT records, in turn, should be made by system administrators, specialists involved in optimization, actively using third-party monitoring and analytical tools.

Author of the article:

Editor-in-Chief

Danaev Almaz