CIRA puts call out to global ccTLD managers for final proposal for IANA transition.
On April 22, the working group responsible for developing a proposal for a system to replace the role the United States Government currently has with Internet Assigned Names and Numbers Authority (IANA) published its second – and likely final – draft proposal for public comment. With the withdrawal of the U.S. Government, the development of the Internet has reached a critical juncture. I believe that input from the global ccTLD managers is critical to ensuring our community’s unique needs are reflected in the final proposal.
Since the most recent version of this proposal was released, this working group, known as the CWG-IANA, has gone to considerable lengths to ensure that ccTLD managers have the necessary knowledge and opportunity to participate in this important process. While the full proposal is quite long at 92 pages, the CWG-IANA has also produced a 10-page slide deck which explains the context and process of the proposed system. Page eight of the slide deck provides a schematic of the proposed new arrangements. There is also a five-page ‘chairs’ forward’ that summarizes the proposal, and a one-page ‘basic elements’ document [–link–] that also serves as an index to the full document, and highlights key elements and processes.
The members of the CWG-IANA that represent the ccTLD community have also held two webinars on the proposal to date. Recordings and transcripts of these webinars can be found in the ccNSO’s calendar for April 28 and 29. The CWG-IANA will hold additional webinars to provide you with an opportunity to learn more about the proposal will be held on:
- May 6 from 13:00 – 14:30 UTC
- May 7 from 06:00 – 07:30 UTC
At each webinar, you will be able to ask questions of the working group about the proposal. To register, or to find more information, please visit the ICANN website.
I encourage you to review the materials developed by the CWG-IANA and to participate in one of the webinars to help inform your comments on the proposal. This is likely our last opportunity to influence the shape and details of the proposal as the supporting organizations, including the ccNSO, will be asked to approve final version that will reflect these comments on June 26 at the ICANN meeting in Buenos Aires.
More information about the public comment process is available on the ICANN website. Please take the time to review the CWG-IANA’s resources and submit your views before the public comment period closes on May 20, 2015. Together, we can ensure that the ccTLD community will continue to flourish.
Byron Holland (MBA, ICD.D) is the president and CEO of the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA), the national not-for-profit best known for managing the .CA domain and developing new cybersecurity, DNS, and registry services.
Byron is an expert in internet governance and a seasoned entrepreneur. Under Byron’s leadership, CIRA has become one of the leading ccTLDs in the world, with over 3 million domains under management. Over the past decade, he has represented CIRA internationally and held numerous leadership positions within ICANN. He currently sits on the Board of Directors for TORIX, and is a member of the nominations committee for ARIN. He lives in Ottawa with his wife, two sons, and their Australian shepherd, Marley.
The views expressed in this blog are Byron’s opinions on internet-related issues, and are not necessarily those of the organization.
