- 11th Sep, 2023
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What Is a Fully Qualified Domain Name?
A Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) is a complete address that helps in locating a computer or service on a network. This article provides for easy comprehension of FQDN, its components, and structural workflow. It also explores its importance and working mechanism.
What Is a Fully Qualified Domain Name?
Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN), also known as absolute domain name is a complete and absolute address that is used to identify a specific computer or host on the internet network. It aims to provide an exact location of the server, encompassing the Top-Level Domain (TLD), second-level domain (SLD), and sometimes subdomains.
In simple terms, FQDN is a unique address that fully specifies the location of resources leaving no vagueness. There are three essential ingredients of this identification:
Hostname
Name of the domain
Top Level Domain (TLD)
This hierarchical structure of an FQDN makes a clear and organized way to name things on the internet or network. It helps in locating, navigating, and using online services and resources. The main benefit that FQDN offers is that the Domain Name System (DNS) when in use translates easy-to-read domain names into computer-friendly IP addresses. This paves the way for computers to establish contact and for users to access online services or resources.
Structure of Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN)
In an FQDN:
Host name- It is the address’s first part, like “www”. They typically consist of alphanumeric characters and hyphens.
Domain Name – Next to the hostname comes a domain name, representing the organization to the entity to which the resource or service belongs.
Along with the domain name, there also might be a subdomain in the address. A subdomain is an optional component before the primary domain name.
- Top-level Domain (TLD) – this is the last part, which is usually ‘.com’. It shows which type of website it is.
To understand the working structure of FQDN, consider “www.example.com”. Here, ‘www’ is the hostname, ‘example’ is the domain name, and ‘.com’ is the TLD.
Difference between FQDN and Partial Domain Name
The basic contrast between FQDN and Partial Domain Name is that the former specifies the exact location of the resource on the internet network whereas the latter can only talk about specific parts of the domain name.
Moreover, FQDN includes the hostname, domain name, and TLD, and sometimes it may also include Subdomain, thus making it unique and specific to the resource. On the other hand, a Partial Domain Name might just have a Hostname or domain name without the TLD. While PQDN may not offer a sufficient address to identify the resource within the DNS, they still serve practical purposes within some specific aspects.
For example, “www.example.com” is an FQDN whereas just “example.com” is a PQDN.
Importance of FQDN in networking
Precise identification
FQDN offers an exact and unambiguous interception towards network resources. Users and administrators can quickly know the purpose and location of various devices and services.
Scalability and flexibility
FQDNs streamline device and service management in vast network infrastructures through a structured and hierarchical naming convention. Users can also delegate admin responsibilities for specific subdomains to different teams or departments to facilitate smooth workflow operations.
DNS Resolution
FQDN is used by the Domain Name System (DNS) to navigate human domain names, significantly aiding users in accessing online services and resources. (e.g., www.example.com) to IP addresses (e.g., 192.0.2.1
Network Administration
FQDN plays a vital role in network administration issues like server configuration, resource allocation, and access management. Apart from providing an easy identification of resources to users, it also offers a structured naming convention that simplifies organization, server, services, and devices.
Hierarchy and Structure
FQDNs follow a hierarchical structure (e.g., www.example.com) where each level represents a subdomain or domain. The structure ensures that every domain name is distinct and can be correctly resolved by DNS servers.
SSL Certifications
FQDN paves the way for obtaining Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates, essential for establishing secure connections over HTTPS. Typically, SSL certificates are issued for certain FQDN, enabling secured communication between client and user.
Server Migration
FQDN ensures effortless transition and smooth operations when migrating services or resources into a new server. This way, users can access migrated services without interruption by updating DNS records.
Illustrative Examples of FQDNs
“mail.company.com” – This FQDN directs users to a company’s mail server, ensuring easy access to their emails using a user-friendly name.
“www.shoppingwebsite.com” – An FQDN like this seamlessly leads users to an online shopping platform’s website.
“vpn.example.net” – This FQDN represents a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service offered by the company “example.net.”
Where Can FQDNs Be Found?
FQDNs are located using a hierarchical structure involving components of different lengths, each separated by a dot. Given below are the components that make up an FQDN:
- Subdomain
Found that is furthest to the left within the FQDN, a subdomain highlights a specific portion of the larger domain. In “blog.example.com,” the subdomain is “blog.”
- Domain Name
The domain name is the main identifier for a website or resource on the internet. For instance, “example.com” is the domain name in the case of “blog.example.com”.
- Top-Level Domain (TLD)
At the end of the FQDN, the Top-Level Domain generally states the domain type or its country code. Some common examples of TLDs include .com, .org, .net, and those representing countries, e.g., .uk and .de.
- Root Zone
The root zone is at the top of the hierarchy, confirming the FQDN with a terminating period.
Finding a specific FQDN is often straightforward. When you visit a website, the full FQDN of that website will usually be displayed in the address bar of your web browser.
Conclusion
FQDN is a very crucial part of the internet as it is used in every website, web app, e-commerce store, and other networking services. It is an essential component that guarantees that signals are transmitted and intercepted from one source to another effectively and without any break or disruption.
The subdomains, names of the domains, TLDs, and root zones are the hierarchical structures of an FQDN, which are highly important to familiarize oneself with if FQDNs are to be understood. To summarise, FQDN allows them to navigate the online resources in the vast internet ecosystem and helps enrich digital workflows and boost efficiency.