| Frequently Asked Question about DNSLU: | |
| Q. What is it? | |
| A. DNSLU is an application which tests the response time of one or more Domain Name Servers from your workstation. It records the results in a log file. The results can then be imported into EXCEL (or another spreadsheet or database) and analyzed or graphed. | |
| Q. What is a Domain Name Server? | |
| A. Domain Name Servers translate domain names like "www.uky.edu" into IP numbers like 128.163.1.169 . Domain names are easier for humans to remember than the IP numbers. The numbers are required by the IP protocol to facilitate routing between the computers on the internet. | |
| Q. Why would I want to monitor a Domain Name Server's response time? | |
| A. The response
time of the Domain Name Server contributes to the response time of many
network related applications. For example, each time your "pop" e-mail
client logs into the mail server to check for mail it must first "resolve"
the name of the mail server into an IP number. If this takes place
quickly it is hardly noticeable. However, if the DNS doesn't respond
promptly there can be a significant delay before your client even begins
to contact the e-mail server. The same thing applies to every web
site that you try to browse. The name of the machine specified in
the URL must first be resolved by a Domain Name Server before the connection
can proceed.
Measuring the DNS response time when you experience "Network delays" can thus help isolate the problem. |
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| 9/11/1998 |