DNS Server to be Launched

• 23 Feb 2019

The government will launch a public Domain Name Server (DNS) aimed at providing a faster and more secure browsing experience for Internet users in the country, while ensuring that citizens’ data is stored locally.

• The main objective of bringing country’s own public DNS is to ensure availability, particularly for smaller Internet Service Providers (ISPs) who don’t have credible DNS.
• A user will be free to choose any DNS and they need not compulsorily need to shift to India public DNS.
• The DNS roll out will be completed in the next four to six months and it will be executed by National Informatics Centre (NIC).

Domain Name Server

• DNS is a system which translates the domain names entered in a browser to the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses required to access the respective sites. E.g.:
  • When one types a web address (say drishtiias.com), the Internet Service Provider views the DNS associated with the domain name, translates it into a machine friendly IP address (for example 296.199.224.70 is the IP for drishtiias.com) and directs the Internet connection to the correct website.
• It can also be termed as Internet's equivalent of a phone book.

• The Centre has also launched a new email platform for all all government employees including those in states and Union Territories.
• The new platform is an upgraded version with enhanced in-built security features compared to the earlier created by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and has a capability to host as many as 5 million users that can be scaled up further if needed.
• These initiatives are a part of the Government’s initiatives for a new and robust platform in the wake of critical digital services being delivered online requiring enhanced security to discourage cyber-attacks and a quicker site loading time.