CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) Practice

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Master the CREST Practitioner Security Analyst Exam. Prepare with quizzes and comprehensive study guides that include tips and explanations. Excel in your certification journey!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

What is the primary function of a CNAME record in DNS?

A type of DNS data record that holds alternative names for a host
A record that provides the IP address of a mail server
A record that maps domain names to IPv4 addresses
A record that maintains information about the duration of DNS entries

The correct answer is: A type of DNS data record that holds alternative names for a host

The primary function of a CNAME record in DNS is to provide an alias for a domain name. When a CNAME record is used, it allows multiple domain names to point to the same resource without duplicating DNS records. This means that instead of having individual A records for each subdomain that points to the same IP address, you can create a CNAME that resolves to the canonical name of the main domain. This simplifies DNS management, as changes to the IP address of the main domain only require updates to one A record, rather than multiple entries across different records. Using a CNAME record helps in scenarios such as load balancing or when multiple subdomains (like www.example.com, blog.example.com, etc.) need to direct traffic to the same location. By having these aliases in place with CNAME records, it ensures that all traffic is seamlessly directed, and it enhances the flexibility in managing domain names and their corresponding resources.