DNS proxy
(also Domain Name System proxy)
DNS proxy definition
A DNS proxy is a forwarding proxy that organizations and individuals use to manage DNS queries. With a DNS proxy, you can forward DNS requests and DNS replies back and forth between a DNS server and a DNS client. A DNS server is a server that turns domain names into IP addresses and connects websites with web browsers. A DNS client is a machine that can send queries to a DNS server. Usually, there’s only one DNS server in each transaction, but there can be more than one DNS client. The IP address of the DNS proxy is the final destination of the requests sent between a DNS client and server.
DNS proxies help to improve domain lookup performance because they cache previous lookups for faster future DNS query resolution. Organizations use DNS proxies to simplify their network management.
See also: DNS hijacking, DNS query
DNS proxy benefits
- A DNS proxy has a cache that stores domain names accessed in the past. This results in a faster traffic connection whenever you want to look up the same domain names in the future.
- Organizations benefit greatly from DNS proxies because they can reduce network latency.
- DNS proxies provide fast response times.
- A DNS proxy can protect your network from cyberattacks, such as DNS spoofing and domain hijacking.