What does it mean to say that a specific DNS server is authoritative?

Hi Niksss ~

In layman's terms, an 'authoritative' DNS server is the is a computer
which holds the definitive DNS records for a given domain name.


==============================
Understanding the DNS System
==============================

1. When you type a URL in your browser's locator bar or click on a
link to go to another site (for example, www.anyname.com) -

2. Your browser needs an IP address (a series of four numbers
separated by periods) to get you to that site. Your browser sends out
a request to your designated DNS server to translate that URL -
www.anyname.com - to the correct IP address (your designated DNS
server is determined by the method you use to connect to the Internet)
-

3. The DNS server receives the request and searches its database for a
record for www.anyname.com. If it doesn't find the IP address, it
sends a request its parent, who sends an address up the line til it
reaches the "authoritative DNS server" which has the records, and
sends the information back down the line.


======================
Definitions
======================

It helps to understand the definitions for

   * DNS: 
     domain name system or service [source: Webopedia]
     - http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/DNS.html

   * Authoritative DNS server:
    "An authoritative DNS server is a computer which holds the 
     definitive DNS records for a given domain name. Such a 
     server does not necessarily contain any correct DNS 
     records for domain names other than those for which it is 
     the authority. In the context of the internet the root DNS 
     servers ultimately define which DNS server is the 
     authority for a given domain name" [from "Authoritative
     DNS Changes"]
  - http://www.spacereg.com/help_dns.html

   * IP Address:
    "An identifier for a computer or device  on a TCP/IP 
     network. Networks using the TCP/IP protocol route 
     messages based on the IP address of the destination."
     [Webopedia]
  - http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/I/IP_address.html


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More Information
==========================

* More.Net's "Domain Name System (DNS)" Reviewed March, 2002.
  "Resolving Names to IP Addresses", page 4
   -  http://www.more.net/technical/netserv/tcpip/dns.pdf 

* DNS Glossary (Mara DNS)
   - http://www.maradns.org/tutorial/glossary.html


========================
Summary
========================

As stated, an authoritative DNS server is the particular server on the
internet which holds a given domain name's DNS records.


Google search terms used:

 * definition: "authoritative DNS server"
   - ://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=definition%3A+%22authoritative+DNS+server%22&btnG=Google+Search


Google Glossary search term:
 * authoritative DNS server
   - http://labs.google.com/glossary?q=authoritative+DNS+server&btnG=Google+Glossary+Search


Thanks for asking this question, it gave me the opportunity to look up
information I thought I knew - and found I knew it, but couldn't have
explained it as well as the sources cited above.

Regards,

Serenata
Google Answers Researcher

Great Answer:D