.edu
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| country: | United States |
| Manager: | EDUCAUSE |
| Registry Provider: | Verisign |
| Date Implemented: | 1985 |
| Type: | sponsored top level domain (sTLD) |
| Community: | educational institutions |
More information: 
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.edu is one of the original top-level domain names (TLD) implemented in the root zone of the internet Domain Name System (DNS). Domain name registrations for .edu is restricted for the use of accredited post secondary educational institutions in the United States. The registry operations of the domain name is operated by EDUCAUSE through a Cooperative Agreement granted by the United States Department of Commerce (DOC), the final authority in making decision regarding the membership and operations of .edu domain.[1] [2]
Background[edit | edit source]
.edu TLD was introduced by Jon Postel and Joyce Reynolds in 1984 through RFC 920 and it was implemented in the root zone of the internet DNS in 1985 along with .arpa, .com, .gov, [.mil], .net, and .org. Originally, the .edu TLD was intended for all educational institutions, however it was limited to four colleges and universities. The Network Information Center (NIC) was the first registrar.
[3] In early 1990s, the registration of non-military domain names .com, .edu, gov and .net was transferred to Network Solutions through a Cooperative Agreement which was granted by the National Science Foundation.[4] Network Solutions managed the domain name registrations of .edu TLD until 2001.On October 21, 2001, EDUCAUSE signed a Cooperative Agreement with the DOC to take over the domain name registrations for .edu TLD.[5] [6]