Domain Names and IP addresses: explained
A Domain Name is extremely useful as it offers an easy way to identify and locate computers and resources connected to the Internet. No two organizations can have the same domain name (accessible via the world wide web). It is a combination of two words separated by a period "." that references an IP address of a computer somewhere on the internet. Domain names are much easier to remember than the arbitary string of numbers used in an IP address.
IP addresses
Each domain name corresponds to a numeric IP (Internet Protocol) address. An IP address takes the form of 4 numbers, each one between 0 and 255, separated by periods. The Internet uses the numeric IP address to send data. For instance, you may be connecting to a World Wide Web server with the domain name "www.cnn.com", but as far as the network is concerned, you are connecting to the Web server with the IP address 64.236.24.28 which is associated with that domain name. This information, as well as information regarding email, is kept on domain name servers.
IP addresses are like our telephone numbers, dial the right one and you get the person you were trying to contact; dial incorrectly and you may find that the number doesn't exist, has been moved, or will connect you to someone you don't know.
Domain Name Uses
It's important to understand that a domain name is made up of two parts. For example, in "pureCommerce.com" (this website), the ".com" part is the "top domain" and is often referred to as the domain extension. Extensions have underlying default meanings. Briefly, think of ".com" as a .COMpany and ".org" as a .ORGanization and ".net" as a .NETwork and ".edu" as .EDUcation, but know that the domain extensions' underlying meanings are not always correctly used, and in fact, are often deliberately misleading.
The "pureCommerce" part is the "secondary domain". The secondary domain and the domain extension combine to uniquely make up what we call a domain name. Domain names can only be registered to one entity at a time so we know at this point that no one else owns the current right to use the domain name "pureCommerce.com" other than this website.
You must periodically pay for the right to use a domain name-- you don't actually own the domain name, only the right to use it for a specified time. This is usually an annual, bi-annual or other yearly type agreement ranging anywhere from $10 to $40 per year depending on where you register the domain.
You can also have what is called a "canonical name", also known as a "C-name". The default assumed canonical name of a domain name is "www" which stands for the World Wide Web, but you may have the need for alternative C-names.
Note: a web server or domain-forwarding service must be set up to receive every combination of domain name and C-names. This means that if you register MyCoolWebsite.net, unless you set up www.MyCoolWebsite.net at the web server or through a service, then people won't see your website if they omit the WWW C-name.
C-Name uses
Another common Canonical Name use is for splitting parts of your website such as store.MyCoolWebsite.net or corporate.MyCoolWebsite.net or reports.MyCoolWebsite.net. Segmentation of a domain name through the use of C-Names can be useful because a C-Name-Domain Name combination could point to a completely different IP address than any of its siblings of primary domain name.
This opens up some obvious possibilities. For example, intranet.MyCoolWebsite.net could point to a local network server where only internal employees at a specific office could access it while store.MyCoolWebsite.net is the eCommerce website of MyCoolWebsite.net but is hosted by another web server or software company, all at the same time that www.MyCoolWebsite.net and MyCoolWebsite.net are hosting the corporate website open to the public on another web server.
Domain Name Management
It is important to identify which domain name(s) you will be using and your comfort level managing all of the elements of your domain names. If you are at all unfamiliar with domain names and Domain Name Server management, please inform your pureCommerce client liaison and they will assist you with the management of your domain names.
Note: changes made to domain names can take anywhere from 1 hour to 1 month for all the servers on the Internet to "notice change", with the most common time range being 1 to 3 days. This process is called DNS propagation. Due to the potentially adverse affects of DNS propagation and your domain names, it is best to be sure that any modifications to your existing domain names are completed before closing or changing any domain name management tool accounts that you may have.
Resources
There are many groups and companies that can register domain names and depending on the servies offered or paid for management tools can be put in place. We list two major registration and domain name service companies here.
Tools
To check progress of name server updates from a variety of locations try any of the following.