(DNS) A general-purpose distributed, replicated, data query service chiefly used on internet for translating hostnames into internet addresses. Also, the style of hostname used on the Internet, though such a name is properly called a fully qualified domain name. DNS can be configured to use a sequence of name servers, based on the domains in the name being looked for, until a match is found.

The name resolution client (e.g. Unix's gethostbyname() library function) can be configured to search for host information in the following order: first in the local /etc/hosts file, second in nis and third in DNS. This sequencing of Naming Services is sometimes called "name service switching". Under solaris is configured in the file /etc/nsswitch.conf.

DNS can be queried interactively using the command nslookup. It is defined in std 13, rfc 1034, rfc 1035, rfc 1591.

bind is a common DNS server.

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