Proposed Unsponsored TLD Agreement: Appendix C, Part 0 (.name)

Proposed Unsponsored TLD Agreement: Appendix C, Part 0 (.name) (3 July 2001)

Part 0 - Overview

This Appendix C provides a functional description of the .name Registry.

Third level registrations and shared domain name structure

In the .name TLD, registrants can register domains only of the type <thirdlevel>.<secondlevel>.name. All second level domains in the .name TLD are shared, which allows users with the same last name to share the second level domain while using a unique third level domain. Subject to the applicable format requirements in Part 13 of this Appendix C and restrictions identified in Appendices K, L and X, all second and third level combinations are available for registration.

As a result, second level domains are not registered alone but only in combination with third level domains. Instead, subject to the restrictions described in Appendices K, L and X, every second level domain name is available for sharing and third level domain registrations will be available on each shared second level. Thus, the second level is shared for the benefit of all users.

The Registry Operator will operate and develop a technical solution that will handle the shared .name structure.

Appendix C describes in detail how the second level sharing is performed, through DNS and Zone file descriptions, EPP protocol implementation, database structure and also how email is handled on the second level through the SLD E-mail service.

Overview of services

The Registry Operator undertakes to provide the following services:

• A Shared Registry System (SRS) which will be authoritative for all domains in the Registry Top Level Domain (TLD)
  
  
• A Domain Name Service (DNS) to resolve queries for records in said TLD
  
  
• A Whois service for .name domain registrations
  
  
• A World Wide Web information interface for the Registrar and the general community
  
  
• Technical support and customer services
  
  
• FTP/SCP access to the DNS zone files
  
  
• A NameWatch monitoring service that alerts the subscriber to the registrations of a particular string
  
  
• A Defensive Registration service that allows the subscriber to block the registration of specific domain name combinations
  
  
• An SLD E-mail forwarding service
  
  
• A test environment for Registrars

Shared Registration System

The data necessary to operate the Registry will be stored in a central database which will contain the authoritative data regarding all registered subdomains in the .name domain. All information for the DNS and Whois servers is generated from this database.

DNS service

The DNS service will consist of several RFC1034-compliant servers which are authoritative for the .name zone. These will accept and resolve DNS queries from the Internet.

Whois service

The Whois service will provide information on the Registrar and registrant responsible for each domain registration. The service may also provide contact information for the Registrar responsible for maintaining the domain.

WWW service

The Registry Operator will provide a WWW information service for the general public which will contain information on the company and instructions for registering a .name domain through an appropriate Registrar.

Technical support and customer services

The Registry Operator will provide customer service and technical support to Registrars.

FTP/SCP access to the zone files

The Registry Operator will provide FTP and SCP services for DNS zone file distribution, as described in Appendix N.

NameWatch monitoring service

A monitoring service for .name registrations called NameWatch will also be provided.

Defensive Registration service

A defensive registration service will be provided. Domain names matching a Defensive Registration are prevented from resolving in the DNS and cannot be transferred or sold unless the subscriber cancels the Defensive Registration.

Page Updated 02-Feb-2012

(c) 2001  The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. All rights reserved.