Discussion Document
for next review of
RIPE TLD-WG Workplan

This document reflects revisions to the workplan proposed on 5 May 1999 at RIPE 33 in Vienna.

In the plain-text version of the document, neither of these shadings is visible.

Six work areas now remain. WG should consider at next review which of these need to be retained, and which should best be taken care of by other groups or organisations (eg: RIPE DNS-WG, CENTR, DNSO).

WG should also consider whether it is appropriate to add any new work areas, and how the resulting (continued or new) work areas should be resourced.

Index

IANA and ICANN

The independence and stability of IANA is vital for the functioning of the DNS. In order to help preserve this the following tasks need to be done:

• Help support the following aims of IANA:
  • protection from litigation
  • recognition by official governmental bodies
  • bottom-up authority to IANA
• Discuss and find a way for nTLDs to directly or indirectly fund IANA.
• Formalise relationships with IANA within a bottom-up framework.
• participation through DNSO structure
  or
  just leave this to registries ... ?
• transfer of functions from IANA to ICANN
• delegation relationship between IANA/ICANN and ccTLD registries

Stability of the DNS Root

• desired responsibility for root server system

• desired implementation of same

• Location of project
• Size of project
• Scope of project
• Funding of project

Proposals

Documentation and alignment of practices

• Collect and publish information on status and current practice of nTLD registries, with particular reference to:
  • publication of policy,
  • national consultative framework,
  • registration procedures,
  • comparative charging,
  • search/retrieval facilities on nTLD databases,
  • availability of English-language versions of documentation,
  • domain name statistics,
  • national character sets,
  • Co-operation with Governments,
  • Competition,
  • Arbitration and Dispute Resolution,
  • Legal Issues.
• Develop recommendations for best practice and alignment of practices.
• Publish and promote any recommendations made.

• Discuss development of gTLDs and how it affects nTLDs
• Decide upon desired relationship with gTLDs, CORE, POC, PAB etc.
• Discuss the role of NSI in domain names and its relationship to nTLDs. Make and document recommendations.

Proposals

Cooperation With Governments

• Make contact with governmental and intergovernmental organizations in order to promote WG ideas to them.
• Document and publish current state of the cooperation as it evolves.

Proposals

• Investigate and report on whether each TLD subscribes to RIPE-152.
• Carry out benchmarking of charging for participant TLDs and answer the following questions. What differences are there and why? Look at the quality of service versus charging. What is quality?

Proposals

Competition

• Discuss the introduction of competition to nTLDs.

Proposals

DNS Infrastructure Resources

• Document recommended practice for DNS infrastructure. This is to ensure functioning on a non-discriminatory basis and an avoidance of bottlenecks.
• Track DNS technology and pilots of new features.
• Avail of opportunities for co-operation with RIPE DNS-WG.

• Study suitable arbitration procedures and if applicable suitable legal jurisdictions for this.
• Take account of different legal traditions: Napoleonic vs Common Law.

Proposals

Emerging Registries

• Detail and provide initial support for emerging registries within the RIPE area.

• Study trademark and intellectual property issues
• Monitor and report and legal occurrences/changes relevant to nTLDs.

Proposals