When a DNS server receives a query from a client, it will check its cache to see if it has a record of the requested domain name. If it does, it will return the cached record to the client. If it does not, it will send a query to a recursive DNS server.
A recursive DNS server is a DNS server that can resolve a DNS query by sending queries to other DNS servers on behalf of the client. The recursive DNS server will keep track of the queries it sends out, and the responses it receives, in order to resolve the original query. Once the recursive DNS server has resolved the query, it will return the response to the client.
What is the difference between recursive and authoritative DNS servers?
Recursive DNS servers are responsible for resolving DNS queries from clients. This involves forwarding the DNS query to other DNS servers until the query can be resolved. Authoritative DNS servers are responsible for providing answers to DNS queries from recursive DNS servers. This means that they store DNS records for a domain and can provide an authoritative answer for queries about that domain. Is Google DNS server recursive? Yes, Google DNS is a recursive DNS server. That means that, when a client asks Google DNS for the IP address of a given domain name, Google DNS will query the authoritative DNS servers for that domain to get the answer.
Can a DNS server be both authoritative and recursive?
Yes, a DNS server can be both authoritative and recursive. An authoritative DNS server is a server that contains a database of DNS records for a certain domain or set of domains. A recursive DNS server is a server that can resolve DNS queries for any domain.
Is recursive DNS better?
There is no simple answer to this question. Recursive DNS has advantages and disadvantages when compared to other DNS server options.
One advantage of recursive DNS is that it can provide faster and more reliable name resolution than other DNS server options. This is because a recursive DNS server will typically have a larger cache of DNS records than other DNS server options, and will also be able to utilize any number of DNS servers to resolve a given DNS query.
However, recursive DNS can also be more complex to configure and manage than other DNS server options. Additionally, because a recursive DNS server will typically resolve DNS queries for all clients that connect to it, it can be more susceptible to DNS attacks than other DNS server options.
Should I use recursive DNS?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the decision of whether or not to use recursive DNS depends on a variety of factors specific to your network. However, some general considerations that you may want to take into account include the size and complexity of your network, the number of DNS queries that you typically receive, and the resources that you have available to manage your DNS servers.
If your network is relatively small and simple, you may be able to get by with a single, authoritative DNS server that does not use recursion. However, if your network is larger or more complex, you may find that using a recursive DNS server can be helpful in reducing the load on your authoritative DNS servers and improving the performance of your network.
Another factor to consider is the number of DNS queries that you typically receive. If you receive a large number of DNS queries, you may find that using a recursive DNS server can help to improve the performance of your network by caching frequently-requested DNS records.
Finally, you should also consider the resources that you have available to manage your DNS servers. If you have limited resources, you may want to consider using a managed DNS service that can provide you with a recursive DNS server.