Which protocol is primarily associated with the conversion of numeric IP addresses to human-readable hostnames?

The Domain Name System (DNS) is fundamentally responsible for translating numeric IP addresses, which are difficult for humans to remember, into easily recognizable and readable hostnames. This process enables users to access websites and services using familiar names such as "www.example.com" instead of having to remember a complex sequence of numbers like "192.0.2.1."

DNS functions as a hierarchical system where domain names are mapped to their respective IP addresses, facilitating the user-friendly navigation of the internet. It not only provides a way to resolve hostnames to IP addresses but also plays a crucial role in various internet functionalities, including email delivery.

In contrast, other options serve different purposes: a load balancer manages traffic distribution across multiple servers; traffic mirroring allows for copying network traffic for analysis; and the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) provides remote access to computers. Each of these plays a specific role in network management and administration but does not inherently relate to the translation of IP addresses to hostnames as DNS does.