The word zone is used to mean any area that is separated from another, or is distinguished from another based on distinctive circumstances. In computers, networking and the Internet, the meaning of the word zone changes depending on the specific environment. Some common meanings of the word zone include the following:
- Domain Name System (DNS): Zone is the name space that is allocated for a specific server. Also called DNS zone. Zone files on these servers contain information about one or more domain names.
- Apple computers: Zone is a logical group of network devices using AppleTalk.
- SAN: Zoning is the process of allocating resources in a SAN to load balance the devices connected to the network.
- General computing: levels of administration and access are called zones.
