Hosting Domain & DNS Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does DNS stand for in web hosting?
- Data Network System
- Domain Name System (Correct answer)
- Direct Network Service
- Digital Naming Standard
Correct answer: Domain Name System
DNS (Domain Name System) is the internet's directory that translates human-readable domain names like example.com into IP addresses that computers use to locate servers.
Question 2: What is an 'A record' in DNS?
- A record that points a domain to another domain
- A record that maps a domain name to an IPv4 address (Correct answer)
- A record that stores email server information
- A record that verifies domain ownership
Correct answer: A record that maps a domain name to an IPv4 address
An A record is a DNS record type that maps a domain name or subdomain to a specific IPv4 address, directing web traffic to the correct server.
Question 3: What is a 'CNAME record' used for in DNS?
- Mapping a domain to an IP address
- Creating an alias that points one domain name to another domain name (Correct answer)
- Setting email server priority
- Storing TXT verification strings
Correct answer: Creating an alias that points one domain name to another domain name
A CNAME (Canonical Name) record creates an alias pointing one subdomain to another domain name, commonly used to point www.example.com to example.com.
Question 4: What is TTL in DNS and why does it matter for hosting migrations?
- A security certificate expiration setting
- Time To Live — the duration in seconds that DNS resolvers cache a record before checking for updates (Correct answer)
- A domain registration renewal period
- The time limit for a hosting plan contract
Correct answer: Time To Live — the duration in seconds that DNS resolvers cache a record before checking for updates
TTL (Time To Live) specifies how long DNS resolvers cache a record; lowering TTL before a server migration ensures faster propagation of IP address changes to new hosting.
Question 5: What is the purpose of an 'MX record' in DNS for a hosting account?
- It points to your web server's IP
- It specifies which mail servers handle incoming email for your domain (Correct answer)
- It enables HTTPS on your domain
- It maps subdomains to IP addresses
Correct answer: It specifies which mail servers handle incoming email for your domain
MX (Mail Exchanger) records specify which email servers are responsible for receiving incoming email messages for a domain, with priority numbers determining the order.
Question 6: Which US domain registrar is also one of the largest web hosting companies?
- Verisign
- ICANN
- GoDaddy (Correct answer)
- IANA
Correct answer: GoDaddy
GoDaddy is one of the largest domain registrars in the US and also offers web hosting, website builders, and SSL certificates as a full-service provider.
Hosting Domain & DNS Management 1
What does DNS stand for in web hosting?