When the domain name system (DNS) was developed in 1983 it was viewed as a way of "making it possible for people to create and use domain names for the things they wanted to access instead of numerical addresses," writes Paul Mockapetris, Chief Scientist and Chairman, Board at Nominum.

   But today the DNS is used for a myriad of applications. Not just the obvious web addresses and emails, but also "invisibly by applications inside our phones and laptops, meaning we are enjoying it without even knowing it. Network providers like Verizon and Comcast also analyze DNS traffic to identify cyber security threats, or build service delivery platforms layered atop the DNS to create personally tailored Internet experiences for individual users."

   Even Mockapetris is surprised at how integral the DNS has become to our lives, writing that he "couldn't know then -- in the early days of the Internet -- just how vital the DNS would be in our every day interactions, or all of its roles in advancing the Internet user experiences we are seeing today. But the DNS, like all good technologies, was designed to explore new frontiers and not be put to one particular use. Its design was purposely extensible."