The Internet

The Internet is a communications network which connects millions of computers with one another around the globe. The computers communicate on the basis of the so-called Internet Protocol, IP for short. So that Internet users can communicate with one another via the computers, they are assigned numbers: the IP addresses. These numbers are however difficult to remember (for example 149.23.116.0) so, as alternatives to IP numbers domains were invented, which are easier to remember. Using the so-called Domain Name System (DNS) the names are resolved, which means assigning them to a unique IP address.

Domains

Usually, a domain consists of three components which are separated from one another by a dot; the top level, the second level and the host name. For www.dotberlin.de the www stands for the host name, dotberlin identifies the second level and de the top level.

Top-level domains for countries

Apart from a few exceptions, all countries worldwide have a so-called ccTLD [1] (country code Top-Level-Domain) conforming to ISO3166 [2]. There are more than 230 ccTLDs.

Generic top-level domains

Apart from the country endings, there are numerous top-level domains for certain purposes or communities such as .edu for educational establishments and .gov for American government establishments. Since 2000, ICANN has approved further top-level domains such as .info for information .museum for museums and .cat for Catalonia.

Approval of new top-Level domains

Applications for the approval of a new top-level domain are made to ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). After approving a new top-level domain, ICANN delegates the administration of issuing it to a sub-department called IANA (the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority). ICANN itself supports the bottom-up principle, which means that the entire Internet community should be included for decisions. So, apart from ICANN’s board of governors, a variety of interest groups are included, which are organised in various committees such as the GNSO (Generic Names Supporting Organization), the ALAC (At-Large Advisory Committee), the GAC (Governmental Advisory Committee) and other so-called constituencies.