IANA Wants Public Input on New Website

June 29, 2007; 01:35 AM
The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) has debuted a beta version of a complete redesign of its website to a more useable navigation system and an improved look and feel.

The website is at http://beta.iana.org/.

The redesign offers a cleaner looking and more navigable website. As well, the upgrade will allow new functions to be added to the site based on feedback from users. The new site is expected to go live by the end of July.

The IANA site contains the root zone database, which lists the administrators of generic top-level domains (like .net, .com, and .asia) and country code top-level domains (like .de, .nl, and .uk). It also provides information on IANA’s global coordination of the Internet Protocol addressing systems that allow computers to talk to each other over the Internet, as well as Protocol Assignments in conjunction with the Internet standardization community.

Anyone with input, suggestions, or questions can send them via email to: [email protected].

IANA, which is operated by ICANN, is one of the Internet's oldest institutions, with its activities dating back to the 1970s. IANA is the body responsible for coordinating some of the key elements that keep the Internet running smoothly. Whilst the Internet is renowned for being a worldwide network free from central coordination, there is a technical need for some key parts of the Internet to be globally coordinated – and this coordination role is undertaken by IANA.

About ICANN

ICANN is responsible for the global coordination of the Internet's system of unique identifiers like domain names (like .org, .museum and country codes like .uk) and the addresses used in a variety of Internet protocols that help computers reach each other over the Internet. Careful management of these resources is vital to the Internet's operation, so ICANN's global stakeholders meet regularly to develop policies that ensure the Internet's ongoing security and stability. ICANN is an internationally organized, public benefit non-profit company. For more information please visit: www.icann.org.