Every DECdns entity has attributes, which are pieces or sets of data associated with that entity. Attributes fall into one of four categories: Characteristics Reflect or affect the operational behavior of an entity. Some characteristics are static and cannot be modified; others can be modified with DNSCP or NCL commands. Counters Record the number of times a particular event or problem occurred since the entity was last enabled. Identifiers Uniquely distinguish an entity from any other entity. Status Attributes Reflect the current operational state of an entity.