NASK

Industry:	Internet & Communications Technology
Founded:	1991
Headquarters:	ul. Wąwozowa 18 02-796 Warszawa
Country:	Poland
Website:	nask.pl dns.pl
Key People
Michał Chrzanowski, Director Ewa Niewiadomska-Szynkiewicz, Deputy Research Director

NASK is a Research and Academic Institute for Computer Network providing modern ICT solutions in for Polish businesses, the government, and academia. It also acts as Poland's national registry for the .pl ccTLD.

NASK is the Polish national Registry for .PL Country Code Top Level Domain and ENUM numbers under 8.4.e164.arpa.

Currently (2011) more than 99.9% of all .PL domain name registrations are done by NASK Registrars, called Partners. Partners deliver service to more than 98% of all .PL domain names Registrants, and below 2% of Registrants (still decreasing) have direct service.

The NASK maintained, country code .PL registry of Internet domain names is a fully automated system based on EPP. Full automation and Registrars’ access to the central database are the system’s core features which enable over 150 Partner companies (Registrars) to enter the market with an independent offer. From the end of September 2009 pre-paid functionality has been implemented.

In 2003, NASK was the first to introduce registration of domains with national diacritic characters, the so-called IDNs (Internationalized Domain Names), in all European and many non-European languages. In addition to the registration of domain names, NASK has introduced services supporting the domain Aftermarket, such as "Waiting List Service" (called "option") or “Domain Name Tasting”. WLS provides the ability to option a domain name that is already registered - the option-holder has the privilege to be the first in line to the registration of a domain name, if the current Registrant cancels renewal or deletes this domain name for any reason. Domain Name Tasting has been introduced in 2007 and is a service that allows registration of a domain name domain for 14 days (normal period is 1 year up to 10 years) for a very small price. .PL Registry also publishes a Top 100 of NXdomains list and list of expired domains. WHOIS information is detailed (e.g. registration, modification, expiration dates). DNS updates are dynamic.

NASK is the world’s first national Internet domain Registry which has obtained the ISO 9001:2000 certificate covering the entire Internet domain registration and maintenance process.

By the initiative of NASK the Arbitration Court has been established at the Polish Chamber of Technology and Telecommunications. According to the current .PL Domain Names Regulations the domain name disputes are resolved by the Arbitration Court.

In May 2008 the number of registered .PL domain names exceeded 1 million and in January 2011 a second million was achieved by NASK. Registration of .PL domain names in 2010 was the most dynamic in comparison with other European ccTLDs.

NASK is the official representative of Poland at CERT, FIRST, RIPE, CENTR, ccNSO (within ICANN) and TERENA.

History

Below is a timeline of significant events from the beginnings of NASK to present.

• NASK was created as a Coordination Team of Scientific and Computer Network at the University of Warsaw in 1991. Professor Thomas Hofmokl served as the first director while Chris Heller, Raphael Pietrak and Andrrzej Zienkiewicz were technical directors of the research institute. NASK became the ISP in Poland.
• In 1992, the first satellite link to Sweden was set up at 38,400 bps and connected to the world via Denmark at 9600 bps. Subsequently, in 1993, Hoza, the first Polish server went online.
• In 1994, NASK expanded its WAN and started building WARMAN,the first Warsaw Metropolitan Area Network, which became operational in 1995 and the first wide area network technology in the FR (Frame Relay)- FR nodes were installed at the main points of the WAN.
• In 1997, NASK Poland entered the market to build corporate networks, and in 1998 the institute launched its first global connection at 155 mbps. Subsequently, in 1999, NASK launched its IP transit service in partnership with Telia Net, an international telecommunications corporation.
• By 2001, NASK ranked first in the Teleinfo 500-Polish ICT market, surpassing the major internet providers in Poland. In 2002, NASK acquired VPN Service Sp. Ltd.
• In 2003, NASK became the first registry in Europe, and in 2004 NASK obtained the ISO certification for its entire process in registering and maintaining domains. It also opened its colocation and hosting center.
• In 2005, NASK launched its NIFC hotline dedicated to combat illegal contents in the Internet, and launched the DNS server for the .pl domain in IPv6. It also installed its first radio access network.
• In 2006, NASK received its accreditation from ICANN as the registry for the .pl ccTLD.
• NASK completed the technical implementation of the e-świętokrzyskie radio network construction in 2007. Poland's first network of wireless Internet connectivity became operational using new technologies operating in radio frequencies called WiMAXowymi. In addition, the eighteen radio transmitters built by NASK for the nationwide broadband radio network became operational.
• A project to promote the safe use of Internet among young users was launched by the research institute, dubbed Safer Internet.pl, in 2008.
• In 2009, Poland CERT and CERT-Hungary together with the Internet Security Centre of the University of Gelsenkirchen implemented the FISHA project under the European Commission. Its main objective is to develop the European Information Sharing and Alerting System, a pan-European exchange and access to information on computer security able to prepare against the dangers on the Internet.
• In 2010, NASK and ABW won in the competition "Now Poland" in the "Innovation" category for its system of detection and early warning information network IT security administration of the ARAKIS-GO.

Solutions

NASK solutions centers on design, construction and maintenance of integrated transmission systems. The research institute builds corporate networks at national and international levels, and offers broadband Internet access throughout Poland.It also offers telephone, collocation and hosting services, as well as video streaming. NASK also provides network security.

The research institute also offers access to the network using radio frequency technology and runs base stations in major Polish cities like Warsaw, Gdansk, Gdynia, Katowice, Krakow, Poznan and Wroclaw.

Membership

NASK is an active member of different organizations such as FIRST, CENTR, TERENA, and RIPE. The research institute is also active in numerous EU projects related to Internet technologies and security.

NASK and ICANN

As Poland's national registry, the research institute is active in coordinating and participating in the different activities and meetings conducted by ICANN.

External links

• NASK Main Website
• NASK - .PL Registry
• .PL Registry essentials
• Statistics
• Conference in 2008: "International Domain Name Market Conference"
• Conference in 2009: "Future Business Trends in the Domain Industry"

International Standards Organization

Country Code Names Supporting Organization. Develops and recommends to the Board global policies relating to country-code top-level domains (ICANN Bylaws).