A domain name is the user-friendly hostname that one enters into a web
browser (e.g. "yahoo.com") to access a website on the Internet.
Without domain names, people would be required to remember and enter a
cryptic IP addresses (e.g. 1.234.283.82) that designates the physical
location of a server where the website is hosted.
A domain name consists of at least two "levels". The top level
domain (TLD) in the Yahoo example is "com". The second level domain is
"yahoo". Some websites have three or more levels. (e.g. maps.yahoo.com).
Internet domain names are purchased from a registrar for designated periods
and can be renewed each year by the owner.
A single domain name can be mapped to one or more IP addresses.
Similarly, a single IP address can be mapped to multiple domain names (i.e.
virtual hosting).
Domain names can be extremely valuable assets. For example, the
easy-to-remember domain name "business.com" sold for $7.5 million in 1999.
There are many things that one should keep in mind when selecting and
registering a
domain name. They include branding, cost, search engine, technical,
strategic and legal considerations.
This website discusses domain name selection and procurement. It examines the two
type of top level domains (TLD) that are available to businesses and
individuals: generic top level domains (gTLD) and country specific TLDs (ccTLD).
