Think it through together · A little story
The school website moves to a new server, and the girl does not want to memorize a long string of numbers. Giving the website an easier name makes things simpler.
Lay out the process
- Remember a nameThe school’s domain
- Look it upGet its address and other records
- ConnectReach the corresponding service
Domain names provide hierarchical names for network resources.
People can remember names, while administrators can adjust the corresponding records as needed. Domain names are used not only for websites but also for services such as email.
This indirect relationship between names and addresses means that when the underlying equipment changes, users do not always have to memorize a new way in.
Your turn to try
If a website changes its IP address, must users always memorize a new web address?
Have you thought it through? Open for an explanation
Not necessarily. If the domain stays the same and its records are updated correctly, people can still use the old name, though cached information may take time to update.
Take away one discovery
Domain names provide hierarchical names for network resources.
Try covering the diagram above and explaining each step to someone in your family. If one step is hard to explain, go back and look at that card again.