Changes

Registry data escrow is one of the essential stakeholder protection mechanisms for gTLDs. Registry Data Escrow ensures that the data associated with registered domain names is never at risk of being lost or inaccessible. Registry Data Escrow is a specialized data protection service designed to meet the compliance and “best practice” needs of domain name registrants worldwide. The service ensures that up-to-date copies of domain name ownership and contact details are held in escrow by a trusted, neutral third party (such as Iron Mountain), to be accessed and released only under pre-defined and controlled conditions. The purpose of Registry Data Escrow is to help safeguard registrar and registrant interests in the event of a registry’s business or technical failure.<ref>[http://www.ironmountain.com/Knowledge-Center/Reference-Library/View-by-Document-Type/Data-Sheets-Brochures/R/Registry-Data-Escrow-Data-Sheet.aspx Registry Data Escrow Service, ironmountain.com]</ref>

Registry data escrow is one of the essential stakeholder protection mechanisms for gTLDs. Registry Data Escrow ensures that the data associated with registered domain names is never at risk of being lost or inaccessible. Registry Data Escrow is a specialized data protection service designed to meet the compliance and “best practice” needs of domain name registrants worldwide. The service ensures that up-to-date copies of domain name ownership and contact details are held in escrow by a trusted, neutral third party (such as Iron Mountain), to be accessed and released only under pre-defined and controlled conditions. The purpose of Registry Data Escrow is to help safeguard registrar and registrant interests in the event of a registry’s business or technical failure.<ref>[http://www.ironmountain.com/Knowledge-Center/Reference-Library/View-by-Document-Type/Data-Sheets-Brochures/R/Registry-Data-Escrow-Data-Sheet.aspx Registry Data Escrow Service, ironmountain.com]</ref>

==History==

===History===

The original Registry Agreement, which lasted from 1999-2001, between ICANN and [[Network Solutions]] (and later [[Verisign]]) contained provisions for registry data escrow for the [[.com]], [[.net]], and [[.org]] [[gTLD]]s. In May 2001, ICANN entered into a new Registry Agreement with Verisign for .com, which included expanded escrow provisions. At that time they also entered into separate agreements for [[.org]] and [[.net]].

The original Registry Agreement, which lasted from 1999-2001, between ICANN and [[Network Solutions]] (and later [[Verisign]]) contained provisions for registry data escrow for the [[.com]], [[.net]], and [[.org]] [[gTLD]]s. In May 2001, ICANN entered into a new Registry Agreement with Verisign for .com, which included expanded escrow provisions. At that time they also entered into separate agreements for [[.org]] and [[.net]].

Several of the original [[ccTLD]] Sponsorship Agreements and [[MoU]]s also contained provisions for registry escrow. In 2004, however, ICANN moved away from the Sponsorship Agreement and MOU formats, opting for a lightweight Accountability Format, which does not contain detailed provisions for registry escrow, though it does encourage ccTLD managers to operate in a manner complaint to current [[IETF]] standards.<ref>[http://archive.icann.org/en/tlds/data-escrow-report05mar07.htm#Historical ICANN's gTLD Registry Data Escrow Requirements, icann.org]</ref>

Several of the original [[ccTLD]] Sponsorship Agreements and [[MoU]]s also contained provisions for registry escrow. In 2004, however, ICANN moved away from the Sponsorship Agreement and MOU formats, opting for a lightweight Accountability Format, which does not contain detailed provisions for registry escrow, though it does encourage ccTLD managers to operate in a manner complaint to current [[IETF]] standards.<ref>[http://archive.icann.org/en/tlds/data-escrow-report05mar07.htm#Historical ICANN's gTLD Registry Data Escrow Requirements, icann.org]</ref>

==Registry Data Escrow Agreement==

===Registry Data Escrow Agreement===

==Registrar Data Escrow==

==Registrar Data Escrow==

===History===

===History===

The [[RAA|Registrar Accreditation Agreement]] requires ICANN-accredited registrars to periodically submit a copy of their registration database to ICANN, or a mutually-approved third-party escrow agent. In 2007, however, it came to light that ICANN had not followed through in ensuring that all of its registrars were doing so. After the failure of [[RegisterFly]], the first registrar to go under, thousands of the company's customers lost their domain names or were forced to wait for months until their domains were eventually transferred to [[GoDaddy]]. Following this, ICANN made it a priority to review the RAA and more forcefully implement the Registrar Data Escrow program. [[Iron Mountain]] was selected to implement and execute Registrar Data Escrow.<ref>[http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/11/29/icann_iron_mountain_data_escrow/ Iron Mountain lands ICANN data escrow agreement, theregister.co.uk]</ref><ref>[http://www.bobparsons.me/archive_article.php?entry_id=147 Go Daddy rescues Registerfly customers, bobparsons.me]</ref> All registrars at that time were expected to enroll in the RDE program within six months.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-2-09nov07-en.htm Implementation of Registrar Data Escrow Program, icann.org]</ref>

The [[RAA|Registrar Accreditation Agreement]] requires ICANN-accredited registrars to periodically submit a copy of their registration database to ICANN, or a mutually-approved third-party escrow agent. In 2007, however, it came to light that ICANN had not followed through in ensuring that all of its registrars were doing so. After the failure of [[RegisterFly]], the first registrar to go under, thousands of the company's customers lost their domain names or were forced to wait for months until their domains were eventually transferred to [[GoDaddy]]. Following this, ICANN made it a priority to review the RAA and more forcefully implement the Registrar Data Escrow program. [[Iron Mountain]] was selected to implement and execute Registrar Data Escrow.<ref>[http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/11/29/icann_iron_mountain_data_escrow/ Iron Mountain lands ICANN data escrow agreement, theregister.co.uk]</ref><ref>[http://www.bobparsons.me/archive_article.php?entry_id=147 Go Daddy rescues Registerfly customers, bobparsons.me]</ref> All registrars at that time were expected to enroll in the RDE program within six months.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-2-09nov07-en.htm Implementation of Registrar Data Escrow Program, icann.org]</ref>

 

[[Category: Glossary]]

[[Category: Glossary]]