NEXT!

NNNEEEEXXXXT!!!

What can I help you with?

Root, I am trying to locate the IP address for the website dnsimple.com...

Do you know where I can find it?

Sorry resolver. I don't know where to find dnsimple.com.

But I can tell you where to find the .COM Top-level domain server!

But first, I'll store this information, so I don't have to ask the root again.

This root server is just one of the 13 root name servers that exist today.

Root servers sit at the top of the DNS hierarchy.

They are scattered around the globe and operated by 12 independent organisations.

They are named [letter].root-servers.net where [letter] ranges from A to M.

This doesn't mean that we have only 13 physical servers to support the whole internet!

Each organisation provides multiple physical servers distributed around the globe.

Not my kind of road trip

But we are now here...

How will the .COM TLD server help our friend the resolver?

Find out in the next episode of how DNS works.