When you type "google.com" and press Enter, your computer works its magic to show you the Google homepage in the blink of an eye. But what happens behind the scenes? Now, let's take a closer look at the fascinating process that leads to the display of the beloved Google homepage on your screen.
The Start
When you type "google.com" and hit Enter, your computer jumps into action. It sends this name to a helper called the domain resolver. The resolver checks its records. If it doesn't know, it asks the DNS server located somewhere in the world. Like a detective, the DNS server knows exactly where "google.com" resides and shares its secret identity, the IP address, with the resolver. The resolver gives it back to your computer. Now equipped with the IP address, your computer sets off on its journey to communicate with the intended server. It sends an HTTP request to the server that hosts Google's web content. But hold on, there's more to this journey than meets the eye!
Protocols – Rules of the road
Our guides are protocols like TCP/IP, HTTPS, and SSL on this journey. TCP/IP ensures safe travel for our message. It also ensures that our message arrives in the correct order. Think of TCP/IP as a road connecting your computer to Google's server.
HTTPS, the application layer protocol, governs how your computer talks to the server. SSL forms a secure connection between your computer and the server through encryption. This encryption is like a protective shield, safeguarding our request from eavesdropping and ensuring the integrity of our data as it journeys across the vast internet.
Firewall and Load balancer - Securing the Journey
As our message travels, it encounters security checkpoints - The Firewall and Load Balancer. The Firewall stands between your computer and Google’s server. The firewall's primary mission is to control incoming and outgoing traffic on the cover. In doing this, the firewall protects Google’s server from malicious and unauthorized intrusion into the network. In other words, ensuring no troublemakers get through.
Meanwhile, the Load Balancer helps distribute the message across multiple servers, keeping everything running smoothly. It ensures Google’s server doesn't get overwhelmed with traffic. By distributing the workload across various servers, the load balancer plays a crucial role in making Google's application flexible. This means they can adjust their size without causing any disruptions in their operation
Web Server - Where the Magic Happens
Our message finally reaches Google’s server, which we call the web server. This server's main job is to give us what we're looking for. Since Google’s content is dynamic, the web server works closely with the application server and the database to provide us with the requested content.
Inside Google's server lies a sea of well-organized information called database. The application server dives in, gathers all the data we need, and wraps them up neatly ready to be sent back to the web server.
Assembling the Magic
Once all the requested information is gathered, it's the web server's turn to shine. The web server sends the Google homepage back as an HTTPS web response. Your web browser, the ultimate storyteller, assembles the pieces to create the Google homepage you know and love.