DOCUMENT:Q174224 10-AUG-2001 [crossnet] TITLE :Description of Domain Name System (DNS) PRODUCT :Windows for Workgroups and Windows NT Networking Issues PROD/VER:1.3,2.0,2.5,4.0,95 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbnetwork win95 ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows 95 - Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 - The Microsoft Network versions 1.3, 2.0, 2.5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= This article describes the Domain Name System (DNS) and its major components. MORE INFORMATION ================ DNS is the name service for Internet addresses that translates friendly domain names to numeric Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. For example, "www.microsoft.com" translates to 198.105.232.6. DNS consists of the following components: - Domains: A domain is a logical group of computers in a large network. Access to each computer in a given group is controlled by the same server. - Distributed Database: A distributed database is an archive of information about the computers in a network. - Name Servers: A name server contains address information about other computers on the network. This information can be given to client computers that make a request to the name server. - Clients: A client requests information from the servers. In a domain name system, the client requests network addressing information from the name servers. - Resolver: A resolver provides clients with address information about other computers on the network. For information about configuring TCP/IP for MSN, The Microsoft Network, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q172552 How to Configure TCP/IP for The Microsoft Network Additional query words: ====================================================================== Keywords : kbnetwork win95 Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWin95search kbMSNSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbMSN200 kbMSN130 kbMSN250 Version : 1.3,2.0,2.5,4.0,95 Issue type : kbinfo ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.