Top-Level Domain: Difference between revisions
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==History== | ==History== | ||
The need for a hierarchical [[DNS]] arose with the popularity of the Internet in academic spheres in the early 1980s, which eventually necessitated a | The need for a hierarchical [[DNS]] arose with the popularity of the Internet in academic spheres in the early 1980s, which eventually necessitated a decentralized Internet. Communications between [[The Stanford Research Institute NIC]] and other institutions included plans to create a hierarchical [[DNS]], and can be found in [http://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc805.txt RFC 805], a group document from 1982. This document outlines many of the basics of the eventual [[DNS]], including the need for [[TLD]]s to provide a fixed starting point for queries, and the need for [[SLD]]s to be unique. This, in turn, would necessitate the need for a [[registrar]] type of administration, and help the nascent IT community recognize that the distribution of responsibility for each domain to individual name servers would provide administrative advantages.<ref>[http://www.livinginternet.com/i/iw_dns_history.htm Living Internet]</ref> | ||
==Varieties of TLDs== | ==Varieties of TLDs== | ||
There are different types of TLDs. | There are different types of TLDs. | ||
* [[ | * [[gTLD]]s, which includes [[sTLD]]s | ||
* [[ccTLD]]s | * [[ccTLD]]s | ||
These TLDs operate in different manners, and can be categorized in some simple ways: | These TLDs operate in different manners, and can be categorized in some simple ways: | ||
* Operating Mode | * Operating Mode: | ||
**Open - Operating and offering both registration and resolution services. | ** Open - Operating and offering both registration and resolution services. | ||
**Closed - Not accepting registrations, may be resolving evergreen/legacy/infrastructure subdomains. | ** Closed - Not accepting registrations, may be resolving evergreen/legacy/infrastructure subdomains. | ||
* Level of Restriction | * Level of Restriction: | ||
**Unrestricted - If there are no requirements that must be met in order to register a name under a TLD, that TLD is Unrestricted. | ** Unrestricted - If there are no requirements that must be met in order to register a name under a TLD, that TLD is Unrestricted. | ||
**Restricted - Requiring Local Physical Address, Local Tax ID, or other specific criteria be met to qualify in order to provision a name. | ** Restricted - Requiring Local Physical Address, Local Tax ID, or other specific criteria be met to qualify in order to provision a name. | ||
**Sponsored - A variation on Restricted, the applicant for a domain in an [[STLD]] must meet the requirements within that TLD (ie. [[.jobs]] would require that Human Resources be involved, [[.travel]] would require certain Travel criteria are met, etc). | ** Sponsored - A variation on Restricted, the applicant for a domain in an [[STLD]] must meet the requirements within that TLD (ie. [[.jobs]] would require that Human Resources be involved, [[.travel]] would require certain Travel criteria are met, etc). | ||
==Innovations== | ==Innovations== | ||
At its Seoul conference in 2009, [[ICANN]] approved the [[IDN]] [[ccTLD]] | At its Seoul conference in 2009, [[ICANN]] approved the [[IDN]] [[ccTLD]] Fast Track process, which allowed [[ccTLD]]s to be written in non-latin characters. Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates are some of the first countries to advance in the application and implementation process.<ref>[http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978296758 Gather.com]</ref> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
__NOTOC__ | __NOTOC__ | ||
[[Category: Glossary]] | [[Category: Glossary]] | ||
Revision as of 21:21, 23 July 2012
The Top Level Domain (TLD) is always the last part of a domain name, such as .com, .net, .us, etc.[1] Each TLD is managed by a single Registry.
History[edit | edit source]
The need for a hierarchical DNS arose with the popularity of the Internet in academic spheres in the early 1980s, which eventually necessitated a decentralized Internet. Communications between The Stanford Research Institute NIC and other institutions included plans to create a hierarchical DNS, and can be found in RFC 805, a group document from 1982. This document outlines many of the basics of the eventual DNS, including the need for TLDs to provide a fixed starting point for queries, and the need for SLDs to be unique. This, in turn, would necessitate the need for a registrar type of administration, and help the nascent IT community recognize that the distribution of responsibility for each domain to individual name servers would provide administrative advantages.[2]
Varieties of TLDs[edit | edit source]
There are different types of TLDs.
These TLDs operate in different manners, and can be categorized in some simple ways:
- Operating Mode:
- Open - Operating and offering both registration and resolution services.
- Closed - Not accepting registrations, may be resolving evergreen/legacy/infrastructure subdomains.
- Level of Restriction:
- Unrestricted - If there are no requirements that must be met in order to register a name under a TLD, that TLD is Unrestricted.
- Restricted - Requiring Local Physical Address, Local Tax ID, or other specific criteria be met to qualify in order to provision a name.
- Sponsored - A variation on Restricted, the applicant for a domain in an STLD must meet the requirements within that TLD (ie. .jobs would require that Human Resources be involved, .travel would require certain Travel criteria are met, etc).
Innovations[edit | edit source]
At its Seoul conference in 2009, ICANN approved the IDN ccTLD Fast Track process, which allowed ccTLDs to be written in non-latin characters. Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates are some of the first countries to advance in the application and implementation process.[3]