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A name server is a server that helps to translate IP addresses into domain names. These pieces of IT infrastructure are often required parts of a Web setup, where domain names serve as easier identifiers for a given location on the web.
One issue with the process of using name servers to perform these translations is that many end users are not aware that they can use IP addresses to access a given website. By shielding the process, the name server setup abstracts how the IP lookup system works. However, this does make it easier for end users to navigate the Web.
While it may not matter whether end users understand IP addresses, developers and others do face issues of a complicated and fast-growing Web, and some problems with sufficient cataloging of IP addresses. Issues like this are handled by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), which helps to provide consistency for domain processes.