Briefly explain please how HOSTS files and DNS servers work, including examples where appropriate.?

Question

Briefly explain please how HOSTS files and DNS servers work, including examples where appropriate.?

Answer 1

First, HOSTS files and DNS servers provide the same function: resolving computer names to IP addresses.  The HOSTS file is a local file on a computer and can contain a list of IP addresses that are associated with computer names.  Typically, when a computer must resolve a name to an IP address, the HOSTS file is consulted first.  If the computer names is not found in the HOSTS file, then the query is passed to the first DNS server configured then the second, third, etc, until one is found that responds to a DNS query.  

The DNS server may contain a list of domain names (or zones) that it hosts.  If it hosts records for the domain that a client is requesting, it consults its local zone files.  If it does not host that zone, it will pass it on to other DNS servers on the internet that will eventually find a DNS server that is authoritative for that domain and pass the query on to it.  

That's a brief description, but there can be a lot more to it.  Reply back if you have a specific question.