Question 1easymultiple choice
Full question →easymultiple choiceObjective-mapped
What is the main function of DNS in an IP network?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
It assigns IP addresses to clients automatically.
That is the role of DHCP.
B
Best answer
It resolves hostnames to IP addresses.
Correct. That is the primary DNS function being tested here.
C
Distractor review
It encrypts application traffic end to end.
DNS does not provide that role by default.
D
Distractor review
It advertises default routes to routers.
DNS is not a routing protocol.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A frequent exam trap is mistaking DNS for DHCP or routing protocols. Some candidates incorrectly believe DNS assigns IP addresses to clients, which is actually the DHCP server's role. Others confuse DNS with routing functions, such as advertising default routes, which is handled by routing protocols like OSPF or EIGRP. This confusion arises because all these services are vital in IP networks but serve distinct purposes. Understanding that DNS solely resolves hostnames to IP addresses helps avoid this trap and select the correct answer confidently.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a fundamental IP service that translates human-friendly domain names into IP addresses, enabling devices to locate and communicate with each other on a network. DNS operates as a distributed database with hierarchical zones, allowing scalable and efficient hostname resolution across the internet and private networks. In Cisco networking, DNS is essential for resolving names in various protocols and services, facilitating easier management and connectivity. When a device needs to communicate with another device using a hostname, it queries a DNS server to obtain the corresponding IP address. This process involves recursive or iterative queries that traverse DNS servers until the authoritative server for the domain is found. Cisco devices can be configured to use DNS for hostname resolution, improving usability and integration with network management tools. DNS does not assign IP addresses; that role belongs to DHCP, which dynamically allocates IP addresses to clients. A common exam trap is confusing DNS with DHCP or routing protocols. DNS strictly resolves names to IP addresses and does not handle IP address assignment or route advertisement. Misunderstanding this can lead to incorrect answers, especially when options mention IP assignment or routing functions. Practically, DNS improves network usability by allowing administrators and users to use memorable names instead of numeric IP addresses, which is critical in large or dynamic networks.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- DNS resolves human-readable domain names into IP addresses, enabling devices to locate each other on an IP network.
- Cisco devices use DNS to translate hostnames into IP addresses for easier network management and communication.
- DNS operates as a hierarchical, distributed database that supports recursive and iterative queries for efficient name resolution.
- DNS does not assign IP addresses; DHCP is responsible for dynamically allocating IP addresses to clients.
- Routing protocols like OSPF and EIGRP advertise routes but do not perform hostname resolution, which is DNS's role.
- DNS improves network usability by allowing users to connect using memorable names instead of numeric IP addresses.
- Misunderstanding DNS as a routing or IP assignment service is a common exam trap to avoid.
- Cisco IOS devices can be configured to use DNS servers to resolve hostnames for various network operations.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Related practice questions
Related 200-301 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
CCNA subnetting practice questions
Practise IPv4 subnetting, CIDR, masks, host ranges and subnet selection.
CCNA OSPF practice questions
Practise OSPF neighbours, router IDs, metrics, areas and routing-table interpretation.
CCNA VLAN practice questions
Practise VLANs, access ports, trunks, allowed VLANs and switching scenarios.
CCNA STP practice questions
Practise spanning tree, root bridge election, port roles and STP troubleshooting.
CCNA EtherChannel practice questions
Practise LACP, PAgP, port-channel behaviour and bundle requirements.
CCNA ACL practice questions
Practise standard and extended ACLs, permit/deny logic and traffic filtering.
CCNA NAT practice questions
Practise static NAT, dynamic NAT, PAT and inside/outside address translation.
CCNA DHCP practice questions
Practise DHCP scopes, relay, leases and troubleshooting.
CCNA show ip route practice questions
Practise routing-table output, longest-prefix match, AD and route selection.
CCNA show interfaces trunk practice questions
Practise trunk verification and VLAN forwarding across switches.
CCNA wireless security practice questions
Practise WLAN security, authentication and wireless architecture concepts.
CCNA IPv6 practice questions
Practise IPv6 addressing, routes, neighbour discovery and common IPv6 exam traps.
More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A router learns the same prefix from both OSPF and EIGRP. Which route is installed by default?
Question 2
A router shows this output: R1#show ip ospf neighbor Neighbor ID Pri State Dead Time Address Interface 10.1.1.2 1 FULL/DR 00:00:34 192.168.12.2 GigabitEthernet0/0 10.1.1.3 1 2WAY/DROTHER 00:00:39 192.168.12.3 GigabitEthernet0/0 Which statement is correct?
Question 3
What is the OSPF metric called?
Question 4
A non-root switch has two uplinks toward the root bridge. One path has a lower total STP cost than the other. What role will the lower-cost uplink have?
Question 5
A router interface applies this ACL inbound: 10 deny tcp any any eq 80 20 permit ip any any A user reports that web browsing to a server by IP address fails, but ping works. Which statement best explains the behavior?
Question 6
A router learns route 198.51.100.0/24 from OSPF with AD 110 and also has a static route to the same prefix configured with AD 150. Which route is installed?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-301 question test?
DNS resolves human-readable domain names into IP addresses, enabling devices to locate each other on an IP network.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: It resolves hostnames to IP addresses. — DNS resolves human-readable names to IP addresses and can also store related records.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
Discussion
Loading comments…
Sign in to join the discussion.