Introducing

Networking

DNS and
Load Balancer
RNS TLD NS SOA
 DNS
Introduction
DNS stands for Domain Name System. It is a system
that translates human-friendly domain names, like
www.google.com, into IP addresses, like 192.0.2.1,
which computers use to locate each other on a network.

DNS was introduced in the early 1980s to address the

growing need for a scalable and efficient way to match
domain names with their corresponding IP addresses.
Before DNS, this mapping was done manually using a
single file called ‘hosts.txt’, which quickly became
impractical as the internet expanded

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 DNS
Working
User Request: When you type a web address into
your browser, the request is sent to a DNS resolver.
Querying: The resolver queries a sequence of DNS
servers to find the corresponding IP address.
Root Server: The query starts at the root DNS
servers, which point to the appropriate top-level
domain (TLD) servers (.com, .org, .net, etc.).
TLD Server: The TLD server directs the query to the
authoritative DNS server for the specific domain.
Authoritative Server: This server provides the IP
address associated with the domain name.
Response: The DNS resolver returns the IP address
to your browser, which then loads the website.

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 Use of
DNS
Website Access: DNS allows users to access
websites using easy-to-remember domain names
instead of numerical IP addresses.
Email Routing: DNS helps route emails to the correct
mail servers.
Load Balancing: It can distribute network traffic
across several servers to enhance performance and
reliability.
Service Discovery: DNS is used by various services
to find other services on the network, facilitating
communication between them.

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 Root Name
Server
A Root Name Server is a critical component of the
Domain Name System (DNS), serving as the first step in
translating human-readable domain names into IP
addresses that computers use to identify each other on a
network. Here’s a brief overview of its role:
Starting Point for DNS Queries: Root name servers
are the first point of contact for DNS queries that
cannot be resolved locally. When a DNS resolver
does not have the answer cached and needs to find
the IP address for a domain, it starts by querying a
root name server.

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 Root Name
Server
Directing Traffic to TLD Servers: Root name servers
do not provide the final IP address for a domain
name. Instead, they direct the DNS resolver to the
appropriate top-level domain (TLD) servers (e.g.,
.com, .org, .net). For instance, if a user is looking for
www.example.com, the root name server will point
the resolver to the .com TLD servers.
Maintaining the DNS Hierarchy: The root name
servers maintain the integrity and structure of the
DNS hierarchy. They store information about the
authoritative name servers for all TLDs, ensuring a
structured and scalable system for domain resolution.

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 Root Name
Server
Reliability and Redundancy: There are 13 sets of root
name servers worldwide, identified by letters A
through M (e.g., A-root, B-root). Each set includes
multiple servers distributed globally to provide
redundancy and ensure the reliability and availability
of the root DNS services.

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 Top Level
Domain
In networking, TLD stands for Top-Level Domain. A Top-
Level Domain is a key part of the Domain Name System
(DNS) hierarchy and plays a crucial role in the structure
and organization of domain names on the internet. Here’s
a brief overview of its role:
Domain Hierarchy: TLDs are the highest level in the
hierarchical domain name system structure. They
appear at the end of domain names, immediately after
the last dot, such as ‘.com’, ‘.org’, ‘.net’, ‘.gov’, and
country-specific TLDs like ‘.uk’ or ‘.jp’.

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 Top Level
Domain
Categorization: TLDs help categorize domain names
based on their purpose or geographical location. For
example, ‘.edu’ is used for educational institutions,
‘.gov’ for government entities, and .‘uk‘ for domains
registered in the United Kingdom.
DNS Resolution: TLD servers play a critical role
during the DNS resolution process. When a recursive
nameserver needs to find the IP address for a
domain, it queries the appropriate TLD server to get
information about the authoritative nameservers for
that domain.

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 NS
Name Server
In networking, NS stands for Nameserver. A nameserver
plays a critical role in the Domain Name System (DNS),
which is essential for translating human-readable domain
names into machine-readable IP addresses. Here’s a
brief overview of its role:
Domain Name Resolution: Nameservers respond to
queries about the IP address associated with a
domain name. When you type a web address in your
browser, a nameserver helps to find the correct IP
address for that domain.

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 NS
Name Server
Authoritative Responses: Authoritative nameservers
hold the DNS records for specific domains. They
provide definitive answers to queries about those
domains, including details like IP addresses (A
records), mail server addresses (MX records), and
other DNS records.
Caching and Efficiency: Some nameservers, called
recursive resolvers, cache DNS query results to
improve speed and reduce the load on authoritative
servers. This caching helps in speeding up the
resolution process for frequently accessed domain
names.

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 NS
Name Server
Load Balancing and Redundancy: Nameservers can
distribute traffic among multiple servers (load
balancing) to ensure that no single server is
overwhelmed. They also provide redundancy,
ensuring that if one server fails, others can take over
to keep the domain accessible.
Service Discovery: Nameservers can help in
discovering various network services by providing
service records (SRV records). This helps in directing
traffic to appropriate servers offering specific
services.

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 Start of
Authority
The context of DNS (Domain Name System), SOA stands
for Start of Authority. An SOA record is a type of DNS
record that provides important information about a DNS
zone, including details about the primary nameserver, the
administrator's email address, and various timers that
control how the zone information is managed and
propagated.

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 Start of
Authority
Here’s a brief overview of its role:
Primary Nameserver Identification: The SOA record
specifies the primary nameserver for the DNS zone,
which is the authoritative server for the zone's DNS
records.
Zone Authority Information: It contains metadata
about the zone, including who is responsible for it and
how frequently it is updated.
Zone Transfer Control: The SOA record includes
parameters that help secondary nameservers
determine how often they should check for updates
and how long they should consider the data valid if
they can't reach the primary server.

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 Firewall

A firewall plays a crucial role in networking by acting as a

security barrier between a trusted internal network and an
untrusted external network, such as the internet. Here’s a
brief overview of its functions:
Traffic Filtering: A firewall monitors and controls
incoming and outgoing network traffic based on
predetermined security rules. It decides whether to
allow or block specific traffic to protect the network
from unauthorized access.
Network Security: Firewalls help protect against cyber
threats, such as hackers, malware, and other
malicious activities. They prevent unauthorized users
from accessing private networks connected to the
internet.

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 Firewall

Access Control: Firewalls enforce access control

policies by permitting only legitimate traffic and users
to access network resources. They can block access
to certain websites or services based on the
organization’s security policies.
Intrusion Prevention: Modern firewalls often include
intrusion prevention systems (IPS) that detect and
prevent malicious activities, such as exploitation
attempts and denial-of-service (DoS) attacks, in real-
time.

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 Firewall

Network Segmentation: Firewalls can segment

different parts of a network to create isolated zones.
This segmentation improves security by restricting
access between different network segments,
minimizing the spread of potential threats.
Logging and Monitoring: Firewalls log network traffic
and security events, providing administrators with
valuable data to monitor network activity, detect
anomalies, and investigate security incidents.
VPN Support: Firewalls often support Virtual Private
Network (VPN) connections, enabling secure remote
access to the network for remote users or branch
offices.

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 Load
Balancer
A load balancer is a networking device or software
application that distributes incoming network traffic across
multiple servers. This helps ensure that no single server
becomes overwhelmed with too much traffic, leading to
improved performance, availability, and reliability of
applications and services.
How load balancer works:
Request Handling: When a client makes a request
(e.g., accessing a website), the request is sent to the
load balancer instead of directly to a server.

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 Load
Balancer
Distribution Algorithm: The load balancer uses a
distribution algorithm to determine which server
should handle the request. Common algorithms
include:
Round Robin: Requests are distributed sequentially
across the servers.
Least Connections: Requests are sent to the server
with the fewest active connections.
IP Hash: Requests are directed to servers based on
the client's IP address.
Forwarding: The load balancer forwards the request
to the chosen server. The server processes the
request and sends the response back to the load
balancer, which then forwards it to the client.

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