In April 2024, ICANN's Technical Engagement team (OCTO-TE) and the Internet Service Providers and Connectivity Providers (ISPCP) Constituency launched a joint training program aimed at Internet Service Providers (ISPs) worldwide. The agenda encompassed a range of subjects relevant to ISPs and content provider stakeholders, including resolver operations, Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC), and Domain Name System (DNS) Anycast routing. (Future topics and sessions will be scheduled on the ISPCP calendar). As part of the program, we have organized nine webinars and two face-to-face hands-on workshops, reaching over 500 participants globally – a testament to the growing interest in strengthening DNS-related knowledge across the ISP community.
These webinars and hands-on workshops were designed for both technical and nontechnical professionals, offering foundational and advanced perspectives on the DNS. Each session built upon the previous one, with clear, accessible explanations and actionable insights. All sessions were held and scheduled with different time zones in mind, ensuring broad participation while also maintaining a good balance between online and face to face instances.
Here are the topics we covered:
- DNS 101 – A foundational overview of DNS structure, design, and operational characteristics.
- DNS Resolvers Hands-On Lab – Hands-on workshop on DNS resolvers configuration and operations (performed during the ICANN81 meeting).
- DNSSEC 101 – An introduction to DNSSEC, explaining why and how ISPs should implement this vital protocol.
- The DNS Ecosystem – A walkthrough of the organizations and stakeholders that operate and influence the global DNS infrastructure.
- ICANN and the ISPCP – An introduction to ICANN's mission and the role of ISPs within its multistakeholder model.
- Routing, BGP, RPKI, and Anycast applied to DNS Hands-On Lab – A hands-on workshop on BGP routing and RPKI configuration and operations (performed during the ICANN82 meeting).
- DNS-Related Threats – An overview of common DNS Abuse techniques, security threats, and mitigation best practices.
- Credential Management – Best practices for managing credentials securely throughout their lifecycle.
- From WHOIS to RDAP – A practical guide to the Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP), its benefits over WHOIS, and how ISPs can use it to enhance support and investigation efforts.
The recordings and presentation slides of all the sessions are available on the ISPCP website, making it easy for anyone who missed a session – or wants to revisit the content – to catch up. The feedback on the sessions were very positive and many returning participants shared that they are already applying what they learned in their day-to-day operations.
This training series represents a step forward in close collaboration with ICANN constituencies to promote technical best practices in relation to our mission equipping ISPs with the tools, knowledge, and practical experience necessary to ensure a more secure and resilient Internet. ISPs play a critical role as the first point of contact for many users and are key partners in running and maintaining the global Internet infrastructure.
We are thrilled by this collaboration with the ISPCP and the impact of the program given the active engagement we've seen from the ISP community with over 50 participants in almost every session. We are already working to launch a new round of the program with new topics based on feedback from attendees and our evolving technical environment.
This joint initiative also helps participating ISPs and content providers to better understand the ICANN process, and underscores the importance of joining and actively engaging within their constituency to contribute to global and local top-level domain management policies that may impact their operations.
We encourage ISPs of all sizes and locations to explore the training resources and join us in future sessions. For more information or to express interest, please contact the ISPCP at [email protected].
Together, we're building a stronger, more informed Internet infrastructure for everyone.