Root Nameserver

The root nameservers know where the authoritative nameservers for each of the top-level zones are.

There are 13 sets of root nameservers strategically distributed across the globe, each managed by different organizations.

  • These servers are responsible for providing the starting point in the DNS resolution process, which is kicked off when the resolver queries the root nameserver for the given TLD.
  • When queried, the root nameserver accepts the domain name and returns the names and addresses of the nameservers that are authoritative for the top-level zone the domain name ends in (e.g. com)
  • The word "root" in the term is with reference to a root in a filesystem. It is the set that contains all TLDs. This is why we call them root nameservers. They live at the root, and provide preliminary information about specific TLDs.

note: while there are only 13 sets of root nameservers, they are replicated and distributed across multiple physical locations worldwide to ensure redundancy and resilience of the DNS system.

  • ex. F-Root Server -->

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