A nameserver is a specialized server that maintains a directory of domain names and their corresponding IP addresses. In the context of the Domain Name System (DNS), nameservers are responsible for storing and providing responses to queries concerning resource records. They can be authoritative, containing the definitive data for a zone, or recursive, resolving queries by contacting other nameservers.
Nameserver performance and availability determine the resolution speed and reachability of services. Slow or unreliable nameservers increase latency and risk total service outages. The distribution of nameservers across different networks and geographic locations is necessary for maintaining service continuity.
Redundancy at the nameserver level is a standard requirement for resilient infrastructure. We recommend the use of professional, distributed anycast DNS providers rather than running internal nameservers for public facing traffic. This offloads the burden of defending against DDoS attacks and ensures high availability through geographic distribution.