Domain Registration

Now that we know how DNS works, let’s explore the solutions Route 53 offers. The two main components of DNS are domain registration and domain hosting. Route 53 provides both of these services. We can either register a domain using Route 53 or use an already registered domain to only hosting services provided by Route 53.

How does domain registration work in Route 53?

Route 53 collaborates with top-level domain registries such as .com, .io, .net, and .org. When a domain is registered using Route 53, it first checks with the registry for that top-level domain if it is available. Route 53 then automatically makes itself the DNS service for the domain by doing the following:

• Route 53 creates a hosted zone with the same name as the domain.

• Route 53 allocates a set of four name servers to the newly created hosted zone. When users attempt to access the registered domain through their web browsers, these name servers direct the browser to the appropriate resources, such as a web server or other services.

• Route 53 retrieves the name servers associated with the hosted zone and links them with the registered domain to ensure seamless DNS resolution.

• As the registration process concludes, Route 53 forwards the domain information to the registrar responsible for managing domain registrations. 

• The registrar then forwards the domain information to the corresponding registry, which maintains a database of domain registrations for specific top-level domains, such as .com. Additionally, certain details may be included in the public WHOIS databaseA public database that stores the information of a domain when it is created or updated. for transparency and accessibility.

The illustration below shows how a domain is registered using Route 53: