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Questions:
What is a registrar?
What are the financial requirements for becoming a registrar?
What are the technical requirements for becoming a registrar?
What is an Internet domain name registry?
What is the difference between a thin registry and a thick registry?
What domain name registries does VeriSign operate?
If I am ICANN-accredited for .com and .net, can I add other TLDs?
What is the Shared Registry System?
What is the Name Store platform?
Is it possible to offer domain name registration without becoming a registrar?
What other services does VeriSign provide to support registrars?
Answers:
What is a registrar?
Registrars process name registrations for domain name registrants and then send the necessary domain name system (DNS) information to a registry for entry into the centralized registry database. The registrar database contains customer information in addition to the DNS information contained in the registry database. The customers of the VeriSign registry are registrars who have executed the appropriate Registrar-Registry and Name Store Agreements for the domains managed by VeriSign and who have been accredited by ICANN. Become a Registrar.
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What are the financial requirements for becoming a registrar?
VeriSign requires registrars to complete a credit application and establish a payment security based on expected monthly registration volume. The payment security is held without action unless invoices are not paid in accordance with the terms of Registry-Registrar Agreements. For details about each TLD’s financial requirements, choose the appropriate TLD for information on Become a Registrar.
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What are the technical requirements for becoming a registrar?
Registrars must demonstrate full and correct operation of their systems within the Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) environment before connecting to the Shared Registration System (SRS). Registrar software and system requirements depend on each company's expertise, business model and registration volume. A low-volume registrar may require modest infrastructure investment; a high-volume operation may require a significant investment in people, software, hardware, and network services. VeriSign offers Software Development Kits (SDKs) and implementation guides to assist registrars. Our global support desk is available 24/7 with assistance in 150 different languages.
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What is an Internet domain name registry?
For the Internet to function and to prevent duplication of domain names, there has to be one authoritative place to register a domain name. Each TLD has an authoritative registry, which manages a centralized database. The registry propagates the information about domain names and IP addresses in TLD zone files to enable communication over the Internet for applications like credit card processing, bank transactions and telephony as well as Web browsing and email. A registry provides direct service to registrars who provide direct service to domain name registrants.
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What is the difference between a thin registry and a thick registry?
A thin registry database contains only DNS information (domain name, name server names and name server IP addresses) along with the name of the registrar who registered the name and basic transaction data. A thick registry database also contains registrant, technical, and administrative contact information. VeriSign operates a thick registry for .name TLD and thin registries for other TLDs.
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What domain name registries does VeriSign operate?
VeriSign operates the exclusive domain name registries for .com and .net, as well as .name, .tv and .cc. We also provide registry services for .edu and .jobs on behalf of EDUCAUSE and Employ Media, respectively. ICANN maintains registry agreements with VeriSign for the operation of .com, .net, and .name (ICANN Archived Registry Agreements). VeriSign provides registration and resolution services to more than 900 ICANN-accredited registrars who submit over 150 million domain name transactions daily.
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If I am ICANN-accredited for .com and .net, can I add other TLDs?
The .tv and .cc registries are ccTLDs and do not require ICANN-accreditation for registrars. VeriSign requires registrars to complete account information, meet financial requirements, and demonstrate technical readiness to Become a .tv .cc Registrar. The .name and .jobs registries are gTLDs and do require separate ICANN-accreditation as well as VeriSign certification to Become a .name Registrar or Become a .jobs Registrar.
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What is the Shared Registry System?
The Shared Registration System (SRS) was created in 1999 to help stabilize the Internet and protect consumers. SRS is a system of associated hardware and software developed by VeriSign that permits multiple registrars to provide Internet domain name registration services within the top-level domains (TLDs) administered by VeriSign. The SRS includes the following subsystems: a database server subsystem, a registration subsystem ensuring non-discriminatory access to the registry by all registrars; a billing subsystem; a systems development and testing subsystem; a TLD zone file generation subsystem; and a Whois subsystem. The SRS is consistent with, and supportive of, the provisions of the Statement of Policy on Domain Name System administration, Management of Internet Names and Addresses, 63 Fed Reg. 31741 (1998) (the "White Paper"), as well as the Cooperative Agreement NCR-92-18742 between the U.S. Government and VeriSign.
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What is the Name Store platform?
The VeriSign® Name Store platform supports provisioning for the .tv, .cc, and .jobs registries, the Domain Name Suggestion Service and other Name Store services. The platform minimizes implementation lead times. To add new products, complete the appropriate service order or registry-registrar agreements and then update your EPP mappings. For guides and updates, go to EPP SDKs.
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Is it possible to offer domain name registration without becoming a registrar?
You do not have to be a registrar to offer registration services. For example, small and medium-sized Web hosting and design companies worldwide have partnered with certified registrars to resell .com and .net in their local markets. Social networking and community sites might resell .name domain names to help customers establish an individual identity online. To become a domain name reseller Request a Referral.
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What other services does VeriSign provide to support registrars?
VeriSign is committed to your success as a domain name registrar. Depending on your business priorities—to increase registrations or renewals, expand to new markets, or enhance services—we have many tools, resources, and registry services to help. Value-add services for Current Registrars help you keep pace with industry trends and news, target customers using intelligence about the domain names you manage, and administrative tools to improve renewals and offer more relevant domain name suggestions. Marketing Resources include marketing resources, news and events, original research, and analysis to help VeriSign-certified registrars increase registrations and expand to new markets.
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