International Domain Registration

Domain registration is the process by which the regulatory body – the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers – registers the names of the websites in its Domain Name Server database. It not only distributes the new names to the websites upon request, but also ensures that all domain names are unique, and the database is available for everyone.

The latter part of the website address, such as com or org is referred to as the top-level domain. This provides a general idea about the site and its owner. For instance .com means that a website is for commercial purpose.

Domain name registration is a pretty simple process. You need to find a registrar (a domain registration company) and search for the name you want to get to see if it is available.

The cost of the renewal will vary depending on the service you use and the length of your contract. To make sure you are getting the best deal, it is good to shop around or get domain name registration referrals before you purchase.

Initially, when the Internet appeared, websites could be accessed by just providing an IP address. An IP address is unique to every computer. However, as the number of users increased, it was senseless to expect users to memorize number combinations. Thus, the naming system was introduced, by which websites would have their names that were easy to remember.

Domain Name Registration by Country

In 1993, the InterNIC was set up, whose aim was to maintain a database of domain names and their respective IP addresses in the United States. Each country has their own NIC that are responsible for distribution of the domain names. In the United States now, though there are a number of registrars providing domain names, Network Solutions maintains the central database.

Each country has its own top-domain, for example .uk for United Kingdom, .de for Germany, etc. Re-registration of domain is required every 2-5 years.