The Internet is an “interconnected network,” which is to say it is a vast umbrella network composed of many smaller networks that are all linked together. It’s vast and expanding and if you ever tried to setup your own network, make sure it’s secure and that it runs smoothly, then you’ll know things can get complicated fast. Making sure independently operating computers and services can communicate with each other takes some doing. Everything linked to the Internet needs an address so connections can be made properly. That doesn’t, however, mean that everyone knows the address of every resource they want to access. The index that makes it possible for people to find what they are looking for is the DNS: Domain Name System. The DNS keeps track of all the resources on the Internet, making it possible for people to type a recognizable name into their web browser and be connected with the right website. You type a name into your browser, your browser consults a DNS sever, the connections are made and the page is displayed. A DNS host lookup operates the same way, but in reverse.
The ability to perform a DNS host lookup depends largely on the capabilities of different DNS servers that are designed to store and promulgate the index of hostnames and IP addresses. Any DNS server will translate from hostname to IP address, but not all will provide the DNS host lookup function. This function is not, strictly speaking, necessary for the smooth functioning of the Internet, but there are several reasons why you may want to implement such a reverse DNS system.
There are many services that require reciprocal connection. One simple reason you may want to look up the IP address of a given website if for diagnostic purposes. If, for example, there is a fault in the DNS server you usually use, you may be able to detect this fault by comparing your ability to connect to other websites and hosts by accessing them directly by their IP addresses rather than their domain names.
Reverse DNS procedures make it possible to track the origin of traffic back to it source, which makes it possible to get a sense of the audience attracted to a given site, which can be an invaluable tool. This same function can also, obviously, be useful for security purposes. In fact, even aside from making it possible to trace attacks to their source, the reverse DNS function also provides server with a screening tool for weeding out fake e-mail messages and transmissions. Looking up the IP address derived from a hostname and comparing that to the hostname derived from an IP address can help weed out e-mails sent by mechanism designed to send out spam.
In short, while a DNS host lookup function isn’t absolutely necessary, it makes it possible to run advanced applications and services as well as enhanced security features.
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