delegation (DNS)

The act of passing responsibility for part of the DNS (glossary)DNS Domain Name System The internet's directory that links domain names to computer addresses. Full definition of DNS to other name servers (glossary)name server A server that holds a domain's DNS records and answers lookups. Full definition of name server. A TLD (glossary)TLD top-level domain The last part of a domain name, after the final dot. Full definition of TLD registry (glossary)registry The central database and system of a top-level domain, or loosely the organization that runs it. Full definition of registry delegates each registered domain to the name servers its holder chose, by publishing NS records (glossary)NS record Name Server record A DNS record that lists the name servers responsible for a domain. Full definition of NS record. If those servers do not answer, the delegation is called lame. Adding a new TLD (glossary)new gTLD A generic top-level domain added to the internet through ICANN's New gTLD Program. Full definition of new gTLD to the root zone (glossary)root zone The top of the DNS, listing every TLD and its name servers. Full definition of root zone is a different kind of delegation.