Domain Name-Understanding Domain Names

A domain name is a name that identifies a computer or computers on the net. This is the definition that we are concerned with as an online marketer. Technically domain name also implies many other relates meanings but we would stick to the definition we have just discussed.
The domain name is also called hostname or more commonly referred as web address. They provide more memorable names to stand in for numeric IP address. Thus it is because of domain name that you can remember the names instead of numbers.

{It is easier to remember somedomain.com instead of 142.168.0.254.}

(Note:An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a unique address that electronic devices use in order to identify and communicate with each other on a computer network utilizing the Internet Protocol standard IP in simpler terms is a computer address. Routers, computers, time-servers, printers, internet fax machines, and some telephones?can have their own unique address.)

The flexibility of the domain name system allows multiple IP addresses to be assigned to a single domain name, or multiple domain names to be assigned to a single IP address.

Before we go further let us differentiate between domain name and a URL or universal resource locator

URL: http://somedomain.com
Domain name: somedomain.com

In this example the domain name has two parts somedomain and .com.
.com is called top level domain( TLD) and somedomain would be called second level domain. Similarly if you make a further subdomain and name it somename then the address to that would become somename.somedomain.com.

In such situations somename would be called third level domain. You can create any number of domains on a TLD without any restriction. Domains of third and higher levels are commonly called subdomains.

You must have come across many kinds of TLDs when surfing the web.
.com is most commonly used top level domain. Others which are commonly used are .org, .biz, .net etc. There are many others TLDs which are permissible by ICANN (nternet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.) which looks after the work of assignment of domain names and IP addresses. Currently this list includes following TLDs-

• .aero: Reserved for the global aviation community. Sponsored by Societe Internationale de Telecommunications Aeronautiques SC (SITA)
• .asia: Reserved for the Pan-Asia and Asia Pacific region. sponsored by DotAsia Organisation

• .biz: Restricted to businesses, operated by NeuLevel
• .cat: Reserved for the Catalan linguistic and cultural community, sponsored by Fundaci? puntCat.
• .com : Operated by Verisign Global Registry Services
• .coop : Reserved for cooperatives. Sponsored by Dot Cooperation LLC.
• .info: Operated by Afilias Limited
• .jobs: Reserved for the human resource management community. Sponsored by EmployMedia LLC,operated by Afilias Limited
• .mobi: Reserved for consumers and providers of mobile products and services sponsored by mTLD Top Level Domain, Ltd.
• .museum : Restricted to museums and related persons. sponsored by the Museum Domain Management Association (MuseDoma)
• .name: Restricted to individuals. Operated by Global Name Registry.
• .net: Operated by Verisign Global Registry Services.
• .org: Operated by Public Interest Registry
• .pro: Restricted to licensed professionals. Operated by RegistryPro
• .travel: Reserved for entities whose primary area of activity is in the travel industry. Sponsored by Tralliance Corporation.

Wow! You have so many choices.

But that is not all. Apart from these TLDs which are called generic TLDs and are under direct control of ICANN, there are many country code TLDs or ccTLDs which are country or region specific. Thus .in is for India and .uk is for UK. ( I will publish a separate list for all countries/regions).

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