Final answer:
The distributed hierarchical DNS database is a decentralized system that stores and manages domain name information in a hierarchical structure. It improves scalability, fault tolerance, and query resolution speed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The distributed hierarchical DNS (Domain Name System) database is a decentralized system that stores and manages domain name information. It is organized in a hierarchical structure to efficiently resolve domain name queries. The database is distributed across multiple DNS servers, with each server responsible for a specific portion of the DNS namespace.
For example, the top-level DNS servers, known as root servers, contain information about the top-level domains like .com, .org, and .net. The root servers then delegate queries to authoritative name servers, which are responsible for specific domains. These authoritative name servers, in turn, can further delegate queries to lower-level name servers.
This hierarchical structure ensures scalability and fault tolerance, as the workload is distributed among multiple servers. It also allows for quicker resolution of domain name queries by caching frequently accessed information at various levels of the hierarchy.