CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

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What is the purpose of a PTR record in DNS?

To facilitate reverse DNS lookups
To point to the mail server for a domain
To store server configuration information
To act as a key for encrypted communication

The correct answer is: To facilitate reverse DNS lookups

A PTR record, also known as a Pointer record, serves the specific purpose of facilitating reverse DNS lookups. When a user or an application knows an IP address and wants to find the associated domain name, a reverse DNS query is performed. The PTR record is responsible for providing this mapping from an IP address back to the corresponding domain name. In the context of DNS, forward lookups translate domain names into IP addresses using A (Address) records. Conversely, reverse lookups, which are supported by PTR records, allow the resolution of IP addresses back to domain names. This is particularly useful for verifying the identity of a device based on its IP address, often used in spam prevention, logging, and security configurations. The other options do not align with the primary function of a PTR record. For instance, pointing to the mail server for a domain typically involves MX (Mail Exchange) records, while storing server configuration information primarily uses TXT or other metadata records. Finally, acting as a key for encrypted communication does not relate to DNS records, as encryption keys are generally managed by protocols designed specifically for secure communications, such as TLS or SSL.