Blacknight Internet Solutions Ltd

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Blackknight Logo.png
Type: Privately Held
Industry: Internet, Registrar, Host
Founded: 2002
Founder(s): Michele Neylon
Headquarters: Barrowside Business Park
Sleaty Road, Graigcullen
Carlow
Country: Ireland
Employees: 11-50
Website: Blacknight.com
Blog: Blog.Blacknight.com
Facebook: Profile
Twitter: TwitterIcon.png@blacknight
Key People
Michele Neylon, Founder, CEO

Blacknight Internet Solutions Ltd. is a 100% Irish owned company which serves the hosting and co-location needs of business, both large and small;[1] it is also the country's largest registrar and the only one that is accredited by ICANN.[2] Blacknight hosts over 100,000 domains on its servers; which are based with the Data Electronics Group and Interxion, both in Dublin.[3] It is the market leader for the Irish ccTLD, .ie.[4]

The company is a member of the IIA, ISPAI, INEX, RIPE, AFNIC and Nominet; and is also Hosting Solutions competent as a Microsoft Certified Partner.[5]

Blacknight began offering free one-year registration of .co domains in October, 2012 as part of the Getting Irish Business Online initiative. This free domain offering had been offered for .ie domains since May, but the amount of verification necessary for .ie registration made it a labor-intensive offer.[6]

ICANN[edit | edit source]

In January, 2010, ICANN authorized the transfer of a bulk transfer of Hosting365 Inc.’s gTLD domains to Blacknight. This action was undertaken due to a compliance issue that resulted in ICANN's de-accreditation of registrar Hosting365 Inc.[7] ICANN explains its decision and the procedures undertaken here

Since the release of information on applicants in ICANN's New gTLD Program, Blacknight and its founder and CEO, Michele Neylon, actively sought to bring attention to the issue of Closed gTLDs. A closed gTLD would be a brand operating a generic term that it does not have intellectual property or trademark rights to as a single-registrant TLD, thereby preventing the public from registering domains in that LTD. Examples include Google's application for .blog. Blacknight and Mr. Neylon have submitted numerous letters to ICANN and led public awareness campaigns to encourage the public to object to the applications during public comment windows.[8]

Awards[edit | edit source]

The company's online marketing and use of social media has led to them being nominated for several awards in Ireland.

  • 2012 Social Media Awards - Best Blog of a Business [9]
  • 2011 Social Media Awards - Best Business Twitter Account – Marketing and Sales [10]

Blacknight sponsored the 2012 Irish Web Awards, and specifically “The Most Beautiful Website in Ireland” category as an appreciation of good design.[11]

References[edit | edit source]