Resolving Name Server

A resolving name server is usually provided by your ISP, but higher quality resolving name servers can also be purchased from third-party companies. The resolving name server serves two purposes: 1. To direct queries out to the root, TLD, and authoritative name servers, and 2. To cache DNS information once it is located.

As explained in the DNS tutorial, the resolving name server is responsible for directing queries made by the client (the browser). Once it has located the IP address of a given domain, it stores this information in its cache for a time period specified by the domain's TTL, or Time to Live.