What is DNS?

Learn what DNS is and how it enables reliable domain-to-IP resolution, forming the foundation of Medianova’s global content delivery and redirection systems.

The DNS (Domain Name System ) is a core internet protocol that translates human-readable domain names into numerical IP addresses required for network communication. It acts as a distributed, hierarchical database that allows browsers, applications, and APIs to locate online resources efficiently. Within Medianova’s infrastructure, DNS provides the critical mapping layer that directs user requests to the correct CDN Resource or Redirect endpoint, ensuring consistent performance and service availability.

How DNS Works

DNS operates through a global hierarchy of root, top-level domain (TLD), and authoritative name servers, each responsible for part of the name resolution process. When a query is initiated, recursive resolvers traverse this hierarchy, cache responses, and return the authoritative record for the requested domain.

Root (.)
 └── TLDs (com, org, net, tr)
      └── Domains (example.com)
           └── Subdomains (cdn.example.com)

Each DNS record type serves a specific purpose:

• A / AAAA: Map domain names to IPv4 or IPv6 addresses.

• CNAME: Alias one domain to another, often used to connect a branded hostname (e.g., cdn.yourdomain.com) to a Medianova CDN Resource (yourzonename.mncdn.com).

• MX / TXT / SRV: Support email routing, domain verification, and service discovery.

For additional details on configuring CNAME records within Medianova, see CNAME & SSL.

DNS in the Medianova

DNS is not just a prerequisite for routing traffic — it is an integrated layer of Medianova’s delivery architecture.

Within Medianova services, DNS enables:

• Zone-based configuration: Each CDN Resource or Redirect domain operates within a defined DNS Zone.

• Anycast routing: Queries are automatically resolved through the closest available authoritative node for improved reliability and reduced lookup latency.

• Secure HTTPS mapping: Combined with SSL/TLS certificates to ensure encrypted access.

• Redirect operations: Medianova’s Redirect feature uses DNS mapping for efficient domain-level forwarding.

By integrating these mechanisms, Medianova ensures optimized name resolution, minimized propagation delays, and high query availability across its global network.

Technical Summary

Component	Description
Protocol	Primarily UDP (port 53) for queries, TCP for zone transfers and large payloads
Caching	Reduces recursive lookup time and query load
Record Types	A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, SRV, PTR
Security Extensions	DNSSEC, CAA, TLSA support
Integration	Used by Medianova CDN, Redirect, and CNAME & SSL configurations