Which command line utility is used to look up DNS records for a domain?

Which command line utility is used to look up DNS records for a domain?

• A. Name Server Lookup
• B. Ping
• C. Tracert
• D. Netstat

Answer: (A)

Looking up DNS records directly against a domain’s DNS servers is what a name server lookup does. This capability asks a DNS server for specific records about a domain, such as the A record that maps the domain to an IP address, MX records for mail servers, CNAME aliases, or TXT records. It’s the precise way to verify how a domain is resolved on the internet and to troubleshoot DNS-related issues. Other options don’t perform this specialized retrieval. Ping checks reachability by sending ICMP packets to a host and is about connectivity, not DNS data. Tracert traces the network path packets take to a destination and reveals routing, not DNS records. Netstat shows active connections and listening ports, not DNS information. In practice, you’d use a dedicated DNS query tool like nslookup or dig to perform these lookups against a DNS server and to request specific record types.

Looking up DNS records directly against a domain’s DNS servers is what a name server lookup does. This capability asks a DNS server for specific records about a domain, such as the A record that maps the domain to an IP address, MX records for mail servers, CNAME aliases, or TXT records. It’s the precise way to verify how a domain is resolved on the internet and to troubleshoot DNS-related issues.

Other options don’t perform this specialized retrieval. Ping checks reachability by sending ICMP packets to a host and is about connectivity, not DNS data. Tracert traces the network path packets take to a destination and reveals routing, not DNS records. Netstat shows active connections and listening ports, not DNS information. In practice, you’d use a dedicated DNS query tool like nslookup or dig to perform these lookups against a DNS server and to request specific record types.