What is the purpose of the DNS role?

The purpose of the DNS (Domain Name System) role is to translate human-readable domain names, like www.example.com, into machine-readable IP addresses, such as 192.0.2.1. This translation is crucial for the operation of the internet and other networks, as computers and networking equipment use IP addresses to locate and communicate with one another. When a user types a domain name into a browser, the DNS service resolves that name to the corresponding IP address, allowing the browser to connect to the desired server.

Understanding this function is essential for managing network resources effectively, as it simplifies the process of accessing websites and services without requiring users to memorize complex numerical addresses. The other options relate to different functionality inherent to network services, such as email communication, file transfers, and IP address management, but do not pertain directly to the primary function of DNS.