Navigating the DNS Journey: From Client to SOA

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Navigating the DNS Journey: From Client to SOA

Introduction: Domain Name System (DNS) is the backbone of the internet, translating human-friendly domain names into IP addresses. In this blog, we'll demystify the DNS process step by step, tracing the path of a request from the client to the Start of Authority (SOA) server.

StepDescriptionExample
1User enters URL in the browser.www.example.com
2Client contacts the local DNS resolver (usually ISP).Local DNS IP
3Local DNS checks cache; if not found, queries root server.Root Server IP
4Root server responds with the IP of TLD name server.TLD Server IP
5Local DNS queries the TLD server.TLD Server IP
6TLD server responds with the IP of authoritative name server.Authoritative IP
7Local DNS contacts the authoritative name server.Authoritative IP
8Authoritative name server responds with the IP address.IP Address

Explaining Steps:

  1. User Input: A user types "www.example.com" in their browser's address bar.

  2. Local DNS Resolver: The client's device contacts the local DNS resolver, usually provided by the Internet Service Provider (ISP).

  3. Cache or Root Server: The local DNS resolver checks its cache for the IP address. If not found, it queries a root server.

  4. Root Server Response: The root server responds with the IP address of the Top-Level Domain (TLD) name server responsible for ".com."

  5. TLD Server Query: The local DNS resolver queries the TLD server for the authoritative name server of "example.com."

  6. TLD Server Response: The TLD server responds with the IP address of the authoritative name server.

  7. Authoritative Name Server Query: The local DNS resolver contacts the authoritative name server for the IP address of "www.example.com."

  8. Authoritative Name Server Response: The authoritative name server responds with the IP address.

Conclusion: Understanding the DNS journey is crucial for comprehending how internet navigation works. From the client's initial request to the final response from the authoritative name server, each step contributes to the efficient translation of domain names into IP addresses, enabling seamless browsing.