DNS Terminology
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P. Hoffman, A. Sullivan, K. Fujiwara · 2019-01
Abstract
RFC 8499 provides a comprehensive glossary of DNS terminology, disambiguating overloaded terms such as 'zone', 'domain', 'resolver', 'stub resolver', 'authoritative server', and 'recursive server'. It establishes precise definitions intended to reduce ambiguity in future DNS specifications and operational documentation. RFC 8499 obsoletes RFC 7719.
Why This RFC Matters
DNS terminology has historically been used inconsistently across RFCs, implementations, and documentation, causing confusion among implementers and operators. RFC 8499 provides a single authoritative reference that subsequent IETF DNS work (DoT, DoH, DNSSEC, ECS) can cite for precise definitions. Its clear distinction between stub resolvers, recursive resolvers, and authoritative servers is especially important for understanding DNS privacy architectures and caching behavior.