RE: Definition of Registry

["Paul George" <pgeorge@saraf.com>]

(This ended up beinging kinda long, sorry in advance)

Hello, just joined the mailing list yesterday and just finished reading the
archive- phweeeuu!  Forgive me during this learning curve, I am new to this
whole thing.

I have a comment on the sticking point between gTLD-oriented people and
ccTLD-oriented people regarding the "competitive model".

In many cases in life it is common for the same "entity" to take on
different roles.  If a registry provides domain name restration services
(like NSI) then it could be viewed that the registry is acting as a
registrar during those activities.

Our company has been thinking about the different roles related to domain
name registration and at the highest level we have so far:

3:User - Individual contact/agent - Authorized to act on behalf of (2).

2:Customer - Individual, company, org, gov't, etc. - "Owner" of the "thing"
that each "transaction" concerns.  (could I be any more ambiguous? ;-)

NOTE: (3) and (2) could be one and the same person.

1:Registrar - Organization responsible for gathering the required
information and transmitting said information to (0). Might want to store
information on (1) & (2) on a local DB.  Will probably want to enforce some
set of business rules (policy) on (2) - like charge money, etc.

0:Registry - Organization responsible for processing requests from (1),
storing them in a database and publishing zone files.  Will probably want to
enforce some set of business rules on (1) - like expected data fields, etc.

NOTE: (1) and (0) could be one and the same "entity".

The below discussion might be a matter of symantics.  When someone says:

 >     "Registry: An entity that provides back-end domain name registration
 >     services to registrars....

It tells me that there exists the capability for a registrar to connect to
the registry's system and request an action.  It DOES NOT tell me that a
registry initiates a request for any of those actions.  Which I think is the
way it should be.

If an entity (company, gov't, etc.) initiates a request to it's own registry
for a domain name service, then at that moment that entity is acting in the
role of a regsitrar.  When it processes its own request it switches back to
being a registry.

I think the below discussion tends to limit every entity (company, gov't,
etc.) to only one role - which would not allow a regstry to "have any
interest in the business of domain name registration."  Which would be a
limited view of reality.

It is said that it is better to remain silent and thought a fool then to
speak and remove all doubt.  Well, I guess I spoke..... :-)

Paul George
Saraf Software Solutions


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ietf-provreg@cafax.se [mailto:owner-ietf-provreg@cafax.se]On
Behalf Of Herbert Vitzthum
Sent: Friday, January 05, 2001 3:35 AM
To: Peter Mott; Jaap Akkerhuis; Hollenbeck, Scott
Cc: Alf.Hansen@uninett.no; ietf-provreg@cafax.se
Subject: AW: Definition of Registry


Peter,

if the RRP is only for NSI or maybe some new gTLDs fine. If not understand
and accept ccTLD Voice and nearly common way of doeing.

Best Regards

Herbert

> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: owner-ietf-provreg@cafax.se [mailto:owner-ietf-provreg@cafax.se]Im
> Auftrag von Peter Mott
> Gesendet: Donnerstag, 04. Jänner 2001 22:15
> An: Jaap Akkerhuis; Hollenbeck, Scott
> Cc: Alf.Hansen@uninett.no; ietf-provreg@cafax.se
> Betreff: RE: Definition of Registry
>
>
> >     OK, how about changing the definition from this:
> >
> >     "Registry: An entity that provides back-end domain name registration
> >     services to registrars, managing a central repository of
> > information
>
> Whats broke here is the notion that a registry provides a domain name
> registration service.  In a competitive model, the registry should only do
> these things:-
>
> *	Provide registrars with access to a shared database
> *	Publish zone files
>
> At no time does the registry register names.  Registration is a task
> completed by the registrar as part of executing a contract it has with the
> registrant.
>
> The registry should not have any interest in the business of domain name
> registration.  Just the business of ensuring accredited registrars can.
>
> My thinking is that the registry exists to complete the tasks
> which cant be
> shared due to the hierarchical nature of the system.  But those
> tasks alone.
>
> The moment you have the registry taking on other tasks, you introduce
> compexity and duplication of responsibility.
>
> Regards
>
> Peter Mott
> Chief Enthusiast
> 2day.com
> -/-