Domain Name System
(DNS) and Quality of
Service (QoS)
An overview of Internet’s naming system (DNS) and mechanisms for ensuring reliable performance (QoS).
Prepared by:- Sandeep Chittaragi (1RN22EC105)- Shashanka Anand Naik (1RN22EC113)- Suhas C K (1RN22EC126)- Sushma B K
(1RN22EC113)
Introduction to DNS
The Domain Name System (DNS) acts as the
Internet's essential phonebook. It translates
human-readable domain names like
www.example.com into machine-friendly IP
addresses (e.g., 192.168.1.1). This critical
function eliminates the need for users to
remember complex numeric IP addresses.
DNS is inherently distributed and hierarchical,
making it highly scalable, redundant, and
efficient. It is foundational for virtually all
internet services, including web browsing,
email, and cloud applications.
DNS Name Space
Understanding the DNS namespace begins with recognizing the
contrast between flat and hierarchical structures:
Flat Namespace: A single-level system with central control. While simple, it lacks
scalability and would quickly become unmanageable with the vast number of internet
resources.
Hierarchical Namespace: This tree-like structure with multiple levels is what DNS
employs. It ensures uniqueness, promotes scalability, and simplifies management by
delegating authority.
For example, in mail.cs.mit.edu, "edu" is the top-level domain,
"mit" is a second-level domain, "cs" is a subdomain of "mit," and
"mail" is a hostname within the "cs" subdomain. This structured
approach allows for efficient organization and lookup of resources
across the global internet.
Domain Name Space
The Domain Name Space is organized as an inverted tree, with
the invisible Root (represented by a single dot ".") at the top.
Below the root are several levels:
Top-Level Domains (TLDs): These are the first level below the
root, such as .com, .org, .edu, or country codes like .in, .uk.
Second-Level Domains: Names registered directly under TLDs
(e.g., google.com).
Subdomains: Further divisions created by organizations for their
internal structures (e.g., mail.cs.mit.edu).
A Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) provides the
complete, unambiguous path to a host (mail.cs.mit.edu.). In
contrast, a Partially Qualified Domain Name (PQDN) is a
shorter, local name (e.g., mail.cs) that relies on context to be
resolved.
Domains and Zones
While often used interchangeably, domains and zones have distinct
meanings in DNS:
Domain: Refers to a logical subtree within the DNS namespace (e.g., google.com).
It's a conceptual grouping of names.
Zone: A zone represents a contiguous portion of a domain for which a specific DNS
server is authoritative. It's the administrative boundary for which a DNS server holds
the master data.
Each zone is defined by a Zone File, which is a plain text file
containing resource records (mappings like domain names to IP
addresses) for all the names within that zone. A larger domain can
be delegated and split into multiple zones, each managed by
different DNS servers, allowing for distributed administration and
improved performance.
Types of DNS Servers
Root Servers Primary (Master)
Thirteen clusters worldwide, acting as the starting Stores and maintains the authoritative zone file for a
point for almost all DNS queries by directing them to domain, responsible for all changes and updates
the appropriate TLD servers. within that zone.
Secondary (Slave) Caching Resolver
Copies the zone file from the primary server, Stores results of recent DNS queries locally for a
providing redundancy and load balancing to ensure specified time, enabling faster lookups for
continuous service availability. subsequent identical requests and reducing
upstream traffic.
DNS in the Internet
The global DNS structure categorizes domain names to
organize internet resources efficiently:
Generic Domains (gTLDs): These are foundational,
comprising well-known categories like .com (commercial), .edu
(educational), .org (organizations), and .net (network).
Country Domains (ccTLDs): Represent specific countries or
territories, such as .us (United States), .in (India), or .uk
(United
InverseKingdom).
Domains: Used for reverse lookups, which translate
an IP address back into its corresponding domain name. This is
crucial for security and logging.
The DNS landscape is continuously evolving, with the
introduction of Newer TLDs like .app, .tech, and .xyz, offering
greater flexibility and specificity for online identities.
DNS Resolution
DNS resolution is the process of translating human-readable domain names into IP addresses. There are two primary
Recursive Resolution Iterative Resolution
The DNS resolver (client) requests a domain name, The DNS resolver (client) queries a DNS server,
and the DNS server fully handles the query by which then provides a referral to another DNS
making additional queries to other DNS servers until server that is "closer" to the answer. The client then
it finds the IP address, and then returns the final IP queries the referred server directly. This process
to the client. This offloads the burden from the repeats until the client finds the authoritative
client. server.
Example Flow: Our computer queries a DNS Example Flow: Query for www.mit.edu → Root
resolver, which then performs the full lookup (refers to .edu) → .edu (refers to mit.edu) → mit.edu
process. (provides authoritative answer).
DNS Caching
DNS caching is a fundamental optimization technique that
significantly improves the efficiency of DNS lookups:
Purpose: To provide faster domain name resolution and reduce
the overall traffic on DNS servers and the network.
Mechanism: When a DNS resolver or server successfully
resolves a domain name, it stores the query result (the domain-
to-IP mapping) temporarily in its local cache.
Controlled by TTL: Each DNS record comes with a Time to Live
(TTL) value, which specifies how long the record can be cached
before it must be re-queried from an authoritative server.
While caching offers tremendous speed and efficiency
benefits, a potential risk is that cached records may become
outdated if the source record changes before its TTL expires,
leading to temporary resolution issues.
DNS Messages
DNS communication primarily involves two message Transport:
types: Query and Response. UDP (User Datagram Protocol): Most commonly used for small
DNS queries and responses (under 512 bytes) on port 53, due to its
Message Format:
speed and low overhead.
Header: Contains vital metadata, including an identification (ID),
flags indicating query type or response status, and counts of TCP (Transmission Control Protocol): Employed for larger DNS
various sections. responses, such as zone transfers between DNS servers, or when
query/response sizes exceed 512 bytes, ensuring reliable, ordered
Question: Specifies the domain name being queried. delivery.
Answer: Provides the resolved IP addresses or other resource
records if the query is successful.
Authority: Lists authoritative name servers for the queried
domain or a closer domain.
Additional Info: Contains extra resource records that might be
helpful (e.g., IP addresses of authoritative servers).
DNS Registrars
DNS Registrars are organizations accredited by ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). Their primary role is to manage the reservation of domain
names and ensure their proper integration into the global DNS system.
Verify Uniqueness Global Database Entry Collect Registration Fees
Registrars ensure that each new domain name They are responsible for submitting domain Registrars facilitate the financial aspect of domain
registered is unique and not already taken, registration details and associated information (like registration by collecting initial and recurring fees
preventing conflicts within the global DNS system. IP addresses) to the central registry, which then from domain holders, which covers the cost of
adds this information to the authoritative DNS maintaining the domain's entry in the DNS.
database.
For instance, when you register a domain like example.com, the registrar records its association with a specific IP address and other necessary details. This process makes
your domain accessible on the internet.
Some popular domain registrars include:
• GoDaddy
• Google Domains
• Namecheap
• Name.com
• Hover
Dynamic DNS (DDNS)
Dynamic DNS (DDNS) is a service that automatically updates a name server in the Domain Name System (DNS) whenever the IP address of a host changes. This eliminates the impracticality of manual DNS
record updates for environments with frequently changing IP addresses.
Automated Updates Key Use Case Authentication
The primary DNS server dynamically updates its Primarily beneficial for home users and Internet To prevent unauthorized modifications, DDNS
zone file based on client requests. Secondary DNS Service Providers (ISPs) where devices are often implementations require robust authentication
servers are then updated either actively (pulling assigned dynamic IP addresses, ensuring mechanisms, ensuring only legitimate updates are
changes) or passively (receiving pushes). continuous accessibility. processed.
Security of DNS
Common DNS Threats
Snooping: Attackers intercept and analyze DNS queries to gain
intelligence on user behavior or network structure.
Spoofing / Cache Poisoning: Malicious actors inject false DNS
records into a resolver's cache, redirecting users to fraudulent
websites.
Denial of Service (DoS) Attacks: Overwhelm DNS servers with a
flood of illegitimate requests, preventing legitimate users from
accessing services.
Key Countermeasures
Encryption: Protocols like DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and DNS over
TLS (DoT) encrypt DNS traffic to prevent snooping and tampering.
Authentication: DNSSEC (DNS Security Extensions) uses digital
signatures to authenticate DNS data origins and ensure data
integrity,
Redundancy mitigating spoofing.
& Caching: Distributing DNS services and effective
caching strategies absorb DoS attack impacts and improve
resilience.
Quality of Service (QoS) – Basics
Quality of Service (QoS) refers to the capability of a network to provide better service to
selected network traffic over various technologies. It ensures reliable and predictable service
delivery by prioritizing certain types of data.
Why QoS is Crucial
Different applications have distinct network requirements, making QoS essential for optimal performance:
Video Calls: Demand low delay and minimal jitter (variation in delay) to ensure smooth, real-time communication
without noticeable lags or audio/video distortions.
Web Browsing: Requires high throughput (bandwidth) to load pages quickly and efficiently, providing a seamless
user experience.
File Transfers: Prioritize reliability with no packet loss, as even minor data loss can corrupt files or necessitate
retransmissions, significantly slowing down the process.
Key QoS Metrics
Delay (Latency): The time it takes for a packet to travel from its source to its destination.
Jitter: The variation in delay of received packets, which can cause audio/video breakup in real-time applications.
Bandwidth: The maximum capacity of a network link, indicating how much data can be transmitted per unit of
time.
Packet Loss: Occurs when network packets fail to reach their destination, leading to retransmissions and
degraded performance.
QoS Techniques
Quality of Service (QoS) techniques are implemented to manage network traffic effectively, ensuring that critical applications receive the
necessary bandwidth and performance. These techniques allow networks to handle diverse data types with varying requirements.
Traffic Classification Prioritization (Queuing) Resource Reservation
Identifies and categorizes different types Ensures high-priority applications are Allocates specific bandwidth for certain
of network traffic, such as voice, video, or served first by placing their traffic in data flows, like with the Resource
data, based on application or port. preferred queues, reducing delay. Reservation Protocol (RSVP), guaranteeing
performance.
Congestion Control Fairness
Monitors network load to prevent overload, Distributes available network resources
dropping less critical packets or slowing equitably among different users or traffic
traffic to maintain stability. flows to prevent any single flow from
dominating.
For example, during network congestion, these techniques ensure that a Voice over IP (VoIP) call is prioritized over a large file transfer (FTP), maintaining cl
Conclusion
As we conclude, it's clear that both DNS and QoS are indispensable pillars of modern internet functionality. They work in tandem to
provide the seamless, reliable, and secure online experience we depend on daily.
Domain Name System (DNS) Quality of Service (QoS) Synergistic Impact
The fundamental directory of the A set of technologies that manage The combined strength of DNS and QoS
internet, converting human-readable network traffic to ensure critical is crucial for enabling a secure,
domain names into machine-readable IP applications receive the necessary efficient, and user-friendly internet
addresses.
• Core for internet navigation and accessibility. •bandwidth and
Guarantees performance.
reliability for real-time experience.
• DNS ensures you reach the correct
applications (e.g., video calls). destination.
• Highly distributed and scalable infrastructure. • Maintains consistent performance across • QoS ensures your experience at that
diverse network services. destination is optimal.
• Secured with DNSSEC to prevent tampering. • Manages congestion and prioritizes essential
data.
• DDNS facilitates automatic updates for
dynamic environments.
Understanding these two concepts is key to appreciating the robust architecture that underpins our interconnected digital world.
Thank You
