What is a Domain Name?
Domain Name is a string of letters identifying a device,
service or resource connected to the internet. The domain name is basically
letter identification of an IP address of a device, server or web site in the
global network. Domain names are regulated by the rules and
procedures of the Domain
name system or DNS.
Domain Names serve so that easily memorable words or letters
can be transferred to an IP address in the Internet. In this case we don‘t need
to remember the numbers of the address but an easy word or phrase. Also when
changing the physical address of the data (changing servers) domain names help
us locate the resource without knowing the new numeric address. (The new address
can be assigned to the domain name). In the end of 2010 the number of domain
names in use reached almost 200 million.
Domain name syntax.
The domain name has several labels (parts) separated by dots
(.) . In the most right position is the top level domains or TLDs (in
example.org the org is the TLD). In the beginning when the DNS was developed two
major groups for Top level domains were created the first was the two letter
code of each country and in addition a group of seven generic TLDs to be used
by international organizations.
The first seven generic domains were .gov[ernment], .edu[cation], .com[mercial], .mil[itary], .org[anisations], .net[work], and .int[ernational]. Due to fast growth of the
Internet a necessity arise to increase the number of the top level domains.
During 2009 there were 21 generic TLDs and 250 country code domains in use.
The TLD can be explained as the extension of a file as in myfile.xls
you know that the file is used by
Excel in example.com the domain is used by a commercial organization. The Top
Level Domains also show the reliability of the person who owns them for example
a TLD .edu or .gov are given to educational and governing organizations only
and customers know that the information published in this domains is highly
credible (most of the cases). Also the right TLD may help you target the right
audience to your site if you own an
e-shop .com show that you are commercial organization if you are web developer
then .net might be the right top level domain for you.
To the left of the TLD is the second level domain in
example.org the example is the second level domain it usually is an easy to
remember word or phrase. It is the memorable part of the domain name structure usually
it is a word or phrase which is connected with the content of the web site. If
you sell whiskey to the Russians then a domain name buywhiskeyinrussia.ru might
help you a lot. There are also third and lower level domains in example.co.uk
the .co is the second level domain and example is the third level. This can virtually
go forever until the lowest level domains.
Nowadays the Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers(ICANN) regulates
the top-level structure of the Internet domain name space. It gives rights to domain name registrars, which can register and assign domain names.
The domain syntax is limited by a total length
of 255 characters, some domain registries have
even shorter limits. The
shorter and simple domain names are easier to memorize.
Domain names may consist of several
labels divided by dots. All the characters from a to z may be used and all the digits from 0 to 9 also the hyphen is permitted but it has to be
surrounded by characters or digits (it cannot be the start or the end of
the string). The characters used in the domain are case-insensitive
example.com is the same as EXAMPLE.COM.
It is a common practice for people to buy domain names and
use them as real estates. As the few words in the high known top level domains
run out very quickly some people buy these domains put some content on it and
get visitors just due to the popularity of the word in the domain name. This practice
is known as domain parking. In the parked domain you can show adds or put
content and build high page-rank for it with SEO and then sell it for profit.
For example during the war in Iraq a lot of people typed directly into their
browsers iraq.com the owner of the site peaked in traffic and made money from
adds he was selling on his site.
Domain names are important, no matter if you are buying a name
for a developing business or if you are buying and reselling domains for profit.
