Understanding Domain Name System (DNS)

October 2025

When you request a new domain name for a Georgetown website, one of the steps you’ll encounter is filling out a Domain Name Service (DNS) request form. If you’re not familiar with DNS, this can feel like technical territory—but it’s actually a simple concept once broken down. This post explains what DNS is, why it matters for Georgetown sites, and how it fits into our domain name request and approval process.

What is DNS?

DNS, or Domain Name System, is often described as the “phone book of the internet.” Every website lives on a server that has a numerical address called an IP address (for example, 34.123.45.67). Computers use these numbers to talk to each other—but for people, remembering numbers is inconvenient.

DNS translates human-friendly names like english.georgetown.edu into the IP address of the server where the site lives. In other words, DNS connects what you type into your browser to the right website.

Why Does DNS Matter for Georgetown Websites?

All Georgetown websites are hosted on shared infrastructure through Pantheon.io. This means that even though your site has its own unique Georgetown domain, it lives on the same servers (and shares the same IP addresses) as other internal and external Georgetown sites.

Because of this setup, DNS is especially important:

It ensures visitors who type yourdepartment.georgetown.edu land on your site and not somewhere else.
It enforces consistency—Georgetown.edu domains always point to Georgetown-approved servers and hosting environments.
It helps maintain security and trust by preventing Georgetown domains from being redirected to unapproved external services like Wix or Squarespace.

The DNS Request Process at Georgetown

When you submit a request for a new domain name, UIS and the Office of Strategic Communications review it to make sure it meets our domain name requirements. Some key rules include:

Only departments and administrative offices can apply for Georgetown domains.

Student and alumni organizations cannot receive Georgetown domains and should use existing platforms like Hoyalink or Alumni Association services.

Domain names must be clear, accurate, and approved by the relevant communications office (e.g., GUMC for medical center sites).

Domains must point to Georgetown-approved hosting (i.e. Pantheon.io) and cannot forward to personal or third-party sites.

Once your request is approved, UIS updates the DNS so that your chosen domain (for example, history.georgetown.edu) resolves to the correct Georgetown servers.

What We Ask in the DNS Form

The DNS request form is designed to make sure we configure your domain correctly. That’s why we ask for details such as:

What are you looking to do? (new domain, redirect, relaunch, etc.)
Where will this website be hosted? (for Georgetown sites, this should typically be Pantheon.io. Anything other than this will need a UIS technical review.)
Do you want the domain to resolve or redirect? (most domains will resolve, but a redirect can be used if the website has a different primary address)
Has the site passed an accessibility review? (this is necessary for any site outside the UIS-managed WordPress environment)

If your DNS request involves creating a brand-new site in the UIS-managed WordPress environment, you’ll also need to submit a Web Services ticket to set up a sandbox environment where you can build and review your content before launch.

If your DNS request is for something outside of the UIS-managed WordPress environment, it will need to have passed an accessibility review before the domain can be set up. And if the site is not hosted in Pantheon.io, it will need a UIS technical review.

External .org or .com domains

UIS does not manage any domains other than ones that end in georgetown.edu. Departments that want domains like guhoyas.com or www.georgetownhowardctsa.org will need to purchase them from a domain provider like godaddy.com and maintain them over time so they do not lapse. External domains cannot resolve to UIS-managed WordPress sites, though they can redirect to them. And having an external domain does not exempt the department from Georgetown’s custom website requirements around things like security and accessibility!

Key Takeaways

DNS is what connects user-friendly domain names like sfs.georgetown.edu to the servers where our websites live.

All Georgetown domains must point to Georgetown-approved hosting environments (i.e. Pantheon.io).
UIS and Communications review all requests to ensure domains follow our naming policies, maintain security, and align with Georgetown’s identity.
A DNS request is often just one step in launching a new site—you may also need a Web Services ticket for your sandbox and an accessibility review before going live.

By understanding how DNS works, website managers and content editors can better navigate the domain request process and ensure Georgetown’s digital presence remains consistent, secure, and user-friendly.

WordPress and Accessibility Office Hours

We will continue to hold both Web Accessibility and WordPress office hours every Tuesday afternoon over Zoom throughout the year.

WordPress office hours appointments are every Tuesday, 2:30-3:30 p.m. via Zoom. You can sign up for an appointment slot (for any future office hours date!) here. Please note that we are unable to accommodate unscheduled appointments. If you are currently experiencing an issue outside of office hours or wish to submit a feature request, please use this form to capture that information.

Web Accessibility office hours are every Tuesday, 2-3 p.m. via Zoom. You can talk through accessibility-related questions with Kevin Andrews, electronic and information technology accessibility coordinator. Please schedule a web accessibility office hours appointment here.