The .cern top-level domain

Dan Noyes (CERN Communications)

Overview of top-level domains

• Top-level domain (TLD) – to the right of the dot (.com, .org, .ch)• ICANN – Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers• IANA – Internet Assigned Numbers Authority

Generic top-level domains

• 1984: .com, .org, .net, .edu, .gov, .mil• 1988: .int • 2000: .aero, .biz, .coop, .info, .museum, .name, .pro• 2008: calls to open up gTLDs to applicants

.cern timeline

• 2011: CERN begins application process for .CERN• 2012: .cern string delegated to CERN• 2015: http://home.cern

Other gTLDs

• 1034 TLDs in the root domain (Feb 2015)• Including, for example: .google, .谷歌 , .dev, .mormon, .berlin, .ibm, .mini• ICANN to announce new rounds of applications?

Benefits of CERN owning its own TLD• Innovation• Recognition, trust• Co-branding• Scale• Managed• …

First batch of .cern applications approved• atlas.cern• cms.cern• openlab.cern• arts.cern• press.cern

How to apply for a .cern domain

• Apply via service portal, search for ‘domain’• Applicants must be current CERN personnel• Applications require a sponsor (e.g. department, experiment)• See: http://nic.cern/registration-policy/