New Instance of RIPE NCC Operated K-root Server Deployed in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Amsterdam, 26 April 2005

The RIPE NCC (Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre) in partnership with Etisalat (Emirates Telecommunications Corporation) has deployed a new mirror instance of the K-root Internet root name server at Emirates Internet Exchange (EMIX) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The K-root server is one of the thirteen Internet root name servers that resolve lookups for domain names all over the world. It forms a critical part of the global Internet infrastructure. The Domain Name System (DNS) is a service used to translate between host names and Internet Protocol (IP) addresses by virtually all Internetworking software, including e-mail and web browsers.

Deployment of anycast instances of the K-root server further improves the distribution of this crucial service in various Internet regions and its resilience against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

Abdulla Hashim, the manager of UAEnic (United Arab Emirates Network Information Center) said, “This is a significant deployment for the UAE and the region and demonstrates Etisalat’s commitment to continue UAE’s leadership position in Internet access and performance through leading edge technology that benefits our users. We are constantly on the lookout to try and develop a robust Internet access backbone for user convenience. The investment in deploying the additional mirror K-root server is testimony to that aim.”

The RIPE NCC is an independent, not-for-profit membership organisation that provides services to over 3800 members in more than 60 countries. Our members are mainly Internet Service Providers (ISPs), telecommunication organisations and large corporations. We have operated the K-root server since 1997, when the first server was installed at the London Internet Exchange (LINX) in London, UK. Since early 2003, our technicians have deployed mirror instances of the K-root server in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Athens, Doha, Milan, Reykjavik, Helsinki, Poznan, Geneva, Tokyo and Budapest.

You can find more information on the K-root website:

http://k.root-servers.org/