Making IPv6 the New Normal

A year ago today ICANN allocated the last five IPv4 address blocks to the five Regional Internet Registries in a ceremony with leaders from the Internet Architecture Board and the Internet Society. The use of the next generation of Internet addressing – IPv6 – has been steadily growing in that year and that's a good thing, because IPv6 is how the Internet will continue to serve as a platform for innovation and economic development.

IPv6 vastly increases the number of available Internet addresses. The architecture of IPv4 allowed for four billion Internet addresses. That's no longer sufficient on a planet of 7 billion humans, where many of those humans have multiple devices attached to the Internet. Every device connected to the Internet needs an IP address, whether it is a smartphone, mail server, laptop or web server.

Almost 6,700 IPv6 networks were publicly routed on the Internet in January 2012, and more are expected in the months leading up to World IPv6 Launch on 6 June 2012. On that day, Internet service providers, web companies and home networking equipment manufacturers around the world are asked to permanently enable IPv6.

More Information

• Beginner's Guide to Internet Protocol (IP) Addresses
• IPv6 – How to Act Now
• AfriNIC IPv6 Resources
• IPv6 @ APNIC
• ARIN IPv6 Wiki
• Portal IPv6 LACNIC
• IPv6 RIPE Network Coordination Centre

Reduce "Unreachable" Whois Registrations By 50% In 1 Year?

Review Team Asks for Community Comment on Draft Recommendations that Could Bring Big Changes to Whois

Whois allows you to look up the name and contact information of whoever operates any website domain – or at least, it should. But it isn't always accurate. In some cases, Whois contact information is patently false, listing as website operators Osama bin Laden, God, and Sherlock Holmes.

As part of ICANN's Affirmation of Commitments responsibilities, Whois policy recently underwent extensive review by an independent team comprised of representatives from across the ICANN constituencies, a law enforcement representative, and two independent experts. The Whois Policy Review Team's scope was to "review the extent to which ICANN's Whois policy and its implementation are effective, meet the legitimate needs of law enforcement, and promote consumer trust."

The team has posted a draft of their Final Report [PDF, 1.04 MB] for public comment until 18 March 2012. Comprehensive and understandable, the report lays out systematically what the team found lacking with Whois policy and what they think should be done about it.

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New gTLDs: What to Expect in 2012

Tremendous anticipation, planning, and work drove toward 12 January, 2012, the day ICANN began accepting applications for new gTLDs. Whether you've applied or not, your next question might be: "It's after 12 January. What happens next?"

Organizations who choose to apply to operate a top-level domain have merely begun a journey that will most likely carry them into 2013. If you're curious about the next phases of ICANN's New gTLD Program, here are highlights of what to expect.

29 March: Registration Closes

In the online TLD Application System (TAS), an applicant must first register, and then apply. 29 March 2012 is the last date for new user registrations, to meet the 12 April 2012 application deadline. This date is important as there are various processing requirements both in TAS and in the automated clearing houses that enable international financial transactions.

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World Media Spotlights ICANN in Run-up to gTLD Launch

Worldwide press attention to the new generic top-level domain program (gTLD) reached a crescendo leading up to 12 January's official opening of the application window. An impressive array of global news outlets provided detailed coverage. Here are some video highlights.

Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) keynote speech - The Future of the Internet - Who Decides?

10 January
ICANN President and CEO Rod Beckstrom delivered a keynote address on new gTLDs, ICANN's multi-stakeholder model that made them possible, and the rapid internationalization of the Internet.

National Press Club (NPC) press conference - Beyond .com, .gov, .net and .edu: Expansion of Internet Addressing

11 January
This National Press Club event in Washington, D.C. featuring Rod Beckstrom and ICANN Chair Steve Crocker discussed the launch of the new gTLD application window and its significance to the Internet.

Newseum panel discussion – ICANN: The Next Big .Thing: New Internet Domains

ICANN: The Next Big .thing: New Top-Level Domains from ICANN on FORA.tv

11 January
This Washington DC panel discussion, produced by ICANN and streamed online by Fora.tv, centered around the anticipated opening of the new gTLD application window, the risks and opportunities of becoming a new registry, and the enhanced trademark protections built into the program. Panelists included: Rod Beckstrom, Naseem Javed, Roland LaPlante, and Kristina Rosette.

PBS NewsHour discussion – Debating the Effects of a .Anything World

12 January
During this well-received segment, Rod Beckstrom and Dan Jaffe of the Association of National Advertisers discussed the new gTLD Program launch on the PBS NewsHour.