What Is The Hierarchical Name Space?

In a Hierarchical Name Space, each name is made of several parts. The first part can define the nature of the organization, the second part can define the name, and the third part can define departments and so on. In this case, the authority to assign and control the name spaces can be decentralized. A central authority can assign the part of the name that defines the nature of the organization and the name. The responsibility for the rest of the name can be given to the organization itself. Suffixes can be added to the name to define host or resources.

The management of the organization need not worry that the prefix chosen for a host is taken by another organization because even if part of an address is the same, the whole address is different. For example; assume two colleges and a company call one of their computers challenger. The first college is given a name by the central authority such as fhda.edu, the second college is given the name berkeley.edu, and the company is given the name smart.com. When these organizations add the name challenger to the name they have already been given, the end result is three distinguishable names: challenger.fhda.edu, challenger.berkely.edu and challenger.smart.com. The names are unique without the need to be assigned by a central authority. The central authority controls only part of the name, not the whole name.