Root nameserver
(Redirected from DNS root name server)
Root nameserver (alternatively spelled, root name server; also known as DNS root nameserver, DNS root name server, or, simply, root server; hereinafter, the Server) is a nameserver for the root zone of the Domain Name System (DNS) of the Internet. The Servers are a critical part of DNS infrastructure because they provide the initial data in resolving human-readable hostnames into IP addresses that are used in communication between Internet hosts.
Root zone
Functions
The Server:
- Maintains databases for:
- All the records in the DNS root zone;
- A list of TLD nameservers, which are the authoritative nameservers for the top-level domains (TLDs);
- Directly answers requests of DNS resolvers for records in the root zone and appropriate TLD nameservers.