CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

Which DNS record type provides an alias name for another domain?

1. MX

2. TXT

3. CNAME

4. SOA

The correct answer is: CNAME

The CNAME record, or Canonical Name record, is designed specifically to create an alias for another domain name. This means that when a CNAME record is used, it allows one domain to point to another domain. For example, if you have a service running at "example.com" and you want to refer to it as "www.example.com," you can create a CNAME record for "www.example.com" that points to "example.com." This setup is particularly useful for managing multiple domain names that should resolve to the same IP address, ensuring that if the IP address changes, you only have to update the original domain's A record and not every alias. Other record types serve different purposes. For instance, MX records are associated with email routing, indicating the mail exchange servers for a domain. TXT records are typically used for text-based information associated with a domain, such as verification information or policies like SPF (Sender Policy Framework) records for email authentication. SOA records provide administrative information about the domain, including the primary name server for the domain and the email of the domain administrator, along with other settings. Thus, the unique function of the CNAME record to create aliases makes it the correct answer.