CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

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What does an MX record specify within the DNS?

The IP address of the mail server
The host name for the mail server
The encryption method used
Typical refresh rates for DNS queries

The correct answer is: The host name for the mail server

An MX record, or Mail Exchange record, specifically designates the host name for a mail server that is responsible for receiving emails on behalf of a domain. When an email is sent to a domain, the sending mail server queries the DNS for the MX record of that domain to find out which mail server to connect to in order to deliver the email. This record includes the priority of the mail server, which allows multiple mail servers to be set up for redundancy; lower numerical values denote higher priority. Hence, when emails are directed to a domain, they are actually routed to the appropriate mail server based on this configuration. The choices regarding the IP address of the mail server and the encryption method do not accurately describe the function of an MX record, as it does not provide an IP address or specify encryption methods. Additionally, typical refresh rates for DNS queries relate to DNS record management, rather than the specifics of mail server identification, making them irrelevant in this context.