101 · Question #113
What is the difference between primary and secondary DNS servers?
The correct answer is B. Primary servers host the original copy of the zone database file.. Primary DNS servers hold the original zone database file, while secondary servers hold read-only copies obtained via zone transfer.
Question
What is the difference between primary and secondary DNS servers?
Options
- AOnly primary servers can issue authoritative responses.
- BPrimary servers host the original copy of the zone database file.
- CPrimary servers resolve names more efficiently than secondary servers.
- DSecondary servers act as backups and will respond only if the primary fails.
How the community answered
(59 responses)- B95% (56)
- C2% (1)
- D3% (2)
Why each option
Primary DNS servers hold the original zone database file, while secondary servers hold read-only copies obtained via zone transfer.
Both primary and secondary servers are authoritative for a zone and can issue authoritative responses - authority is not exclusive to the primary.
The primary (master) name server hosts the original, writable zone database file from which all changes originate. Secondary (slave) servers obtain read-only copies through zone transfers initiated from the primary, making this the defining architectural distinction between the two roles.
Resolution speed is not determined by primary or secondary role; both query the same zone data and respond with equal efficiency.
Secondary servers answer queries continuously and independently once they have a valid zone copy - they do not wait for the primary to fail before responding.
Concept tested: Primary vs secondary DNS server roles
Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/networking/dns/dns-top
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